Flight planning: Centennial Airport APA / KAPA
What a pilot looks at before a flight from or to Centennial Airport in Denver, Colorado, in plain English: right now VFR: good flying weather, Wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 22 knots, gusting to 33. The warnings, reports and winds below come from the government's aviation weather service and the restrictions from the FAA, refreshed every few minutes. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools.
Warnings in force SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area covers this field
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft.
A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft (thunderstorms, severe turbulence or icing, volcanic ash); an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments (moderate turbulence or icing, low cloud, strong surface wind, mountains hidden in cloud). An area is counted when it covers this field's position.
Pilot reports within 100 nautical miles, last three hours, nearest first
- urgent E545 at 6,000 ft, 2 nm north, 3:49 pm MDT (21:49 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear + 5 knots fap runway 17L.
as filed, and in English
APA UUA /OV APA350002/TM 2149/FL060/TP E545/RM LLWS +/- 5 KT FAP RWY 17L
- Report
- an urgent report filed through APA
- Where
- 2 nm north (350°) of APA
- Time
- 21:49 UTC
- Height
- at 6,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E545
- Remarks
- low-level wind shear + 5 knots fap runway 17L
- B737 at 6,500 ft, 17 nm northeast, 5:27 pm MDT (23:27 UTC): no turbulence.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 2327/FL065/TP B737/TB NEG TB ON FINAL RWY17R
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 23:27 UTC
- Height
- at 6,500 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- no turbulence on final runway 17R
- B737 descending, 17 nm northeast, 4:29 pm MDT (22:29 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 2229/FLDURD/TP B737/TB NEG BLO 100
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 22:29 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- no below 10,000 ft
- CRJ2 at 6,500 ft, 17 nm northeast, 3:31 pm MDT (21:31 UTC): light chop turbulence.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 2131/FL065/TP CRJ2/TB LGT CHOP ON FINAL RWY16L
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 21:31 UTC
- Height
- at 6,500 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ2
- Turbulence
- light chop on final runway 16L
- GLF5 at 45,000 ft, 22 nm south, 4:44 pm MDT (22:44 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-46.
as filed, and in English
COS UA /OV COS350025/TM 2244/FL450/TP GLF5/TB MOD /RM ZDVWC-46
- Report
- a routine report filed through COS
- Where
- 25 nm north (350°) of COS
- Time
- 22:44 UTC
- Height
- at 45,000 ft
- Aircraft
- GLF5
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- ZDVWC-46
- B737 at 15,000 ft, 32 nm northeast, 3:37 pm MDT (21:37 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: during the climb zdvwc.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN080020/TM 2137/FL150/TP B737/TB CONS LGT OCNL CHOP 150-180/RM DURC ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 20 nm east (080°) of DEN
- Time
- 21:37 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional chop from 15,000 ft to 18,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb zdvwc
- CRJ2 at 19,000 ft, 38 nm south, 4:02 pm MDT (22:02 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: during the climb from KDEN from 12,000 ft to 19,000 ft ZDVWC-41.
as filed, and in English
COS UA /OV BRK262015/TM 2202/FL190/TP CRJ2/TB MOD CHOP/RM DURC FROM KDEN 120-190 ZDVWC-41
- Report
- a routine report filed through COS
- Where
- 15 nm west (262°) of BRK
- Time
- 22:02 UTC
- Height
- at 19,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ2
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- during the climb from KDEN from 12,000 ft to 19,000 ft ZDVWC-41
- E75L at 10,000 ft, 40 nm north, 5:45 pm MDT (23:45 UTC): light turbulence up to 17,000 ft, remarks: during the climb.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN350025/TM 2345/FL100/TP E75L/TB LGT SFC-170/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 25 nm north (350°) of DEN
- Time
- 23:45 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Turbulence
- light from the surface to 17,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb
- A320 at 8,000 ft, 42 nm east, 5:42 pm MDT (23:42 UTC): light chop turbulence from 8,000 ft to 16,000 ft, remarks: during the climb.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN080030/TM 2342/FL080/TP A320/TB LGT CHOP 080-160/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 30 nm east (080°) of DEN
- Time
- 23:42 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- light chop from 8,000 ft to 16,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb
- BCS3 at 24,000 ft, 55 nm north, 5:28 pm MDT (23:28 UTC): moderate turbulence from 22,000 ft to 24,000 ft, remarks: during the descent.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN320045/TM 2328/FL240/TP BCS3/TB MOD 240-220/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 45 nm northwest (320°) of DEN
- Time
- 23:28 UTC
- Height
- at 24,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BCS3
- Turbulence
- moderate from 24,000 ft to 22,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent
- B739 at 22,000 ft, 60 nm west, 3:53 pm MDT (21:53 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-06.
as filed, and in English
EGE UA /OV SXW090040/TM 2153/FL220/TP B739/TB CONS LGT/RM ZDVWC-06
- Report
- a routine report filed through EGE
- Where
- 40 nm east (090°) of SXW
- Time
- 21:53 UTC
- Height
- at 22,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- ZDVWC-06
- B738 at 38,000 ft, 62 nm west, 4:39 pm MDT (22:39 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: light mountain wave a 8-knot loss of airspeed zdvwc.
as filed, and in English
ASE UA /OV DBL047040/TM 2239/FL380/TP B738/TB LGT CHOP/RM LGT MTN WAVE +/-8KTS ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ASE
- Where
- 40 nm northeast (047°) of DBL
- Time
- 22:39 UTC
- Height
- at 38,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- light chop
- Remarks
- light mountain wave a 8-knot loss of airspeed zdvwc
What pilots in the air told air traffic control or Flight Service: turbulence, icing, cloud tops and bases, temperature, wind, and whatever they remarked on (wind shear on final, a smooth ride). An urgent report is one of severe turbulence or icing, wind shear, or similar. Open "as filed, and in English" for the coded report and its translation line by line.
Winds and temperatures aloft forecast point DEN, 19 nm northeast of the field · for use 20:00–03:00 UTC
| Height | Wind from | Speed | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,000 ft | 190° (south) | 31 knots | 16 °C |
| 12,000 ft | 210° (southwest) | 32 knots | 7 °C |
| 18,000 ft | 240° (southwest) | 41 knots | -8 °C |
| 24,000 ft | 230° (southwest) | 47 knots | -21 °C |
| 30,000 ft | 240° (southwest) | 56 knots | -32 °C |
| 34,000 ft | 250° (west) | 65 knots | -37 °C |
| 39,000 ft | 250° (west) | 61 knots | -47 °C |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; the lowest rows are left out where the ground is already that high.
Temporary flight restrictions within 50 nautical miles, from the FAA's list
- 6/8770 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 34 nm south · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 12 October · ZDV
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 42 nm southwest · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (a closed runway, lights out, a crane) are not shown here: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time, and the application for the FAA's data feed is in hand.
Radar and forecast charts government pictures, the latest each time the page loads





The radar pictures come from the National Weather Service (the nearest radar, then the region); the surface analysis and the 12- and 24-hour forecast charts from the Weather Prediction Center. They are public-domain government images shown as they are published.
Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, and the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Back to Centennial Airport, where the current observation and the forecast for the field are.
