Sault Ste Marie Airport

CYAM / YAM

Sault Ste Marie, CA

Last Updated
Jul 4, 05:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 53 min ago
05:00Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
17°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 16°C
6 kt
300°
8 SM
Visibility
8,400 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1015 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CYAM 040500Z 30006KT 8SM FEW001 SCT079 BKN084 BKN260 17/16 A2997 RMK ST2AC2AC1CI1 SLP149 DENSITY ALT 1000FT

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 630 ft
FEW 100 ft AGL
SCT 7,900 ft AGL
BKN 8,400 ft AGL
BKN 26,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
100 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
730 ft AMSL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
7,900 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
8,530 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
8,400 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
9,030 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
26,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
26,630 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Sault Ste Marie Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with broken clouds at 8,400 feet and 8 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots. Runway 30 is favored with a 6-knot headwind and 0-knot crosswind component.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 8 SM. The ceiling is 8400 feet AGL (broken), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 17°C (63°F) with a dewpoint of 16°C. The temperature-dewpoint spread is very narrow, indicating saturated or near-saturated air. Fog formation or low cloud development is likely.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 11 hours. The forecast shows a transition between VFR and IFR conditions. Pilots should monitor the forecast closely and have an alternate airport plan. Expected weather includes: Mist, Fog, FCST. Temporary VFR conditions are forecast with Mist between 03:00Z and 06:00Z. Temporary VFR conditions are forecast with Mist between 06:00Z and 10:00Z.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight. The narrow temperature-dewpoint spread creates risk of fog formation, particularly during evening and early morning hours. The forecast indicates conditions may deteriorate. Ensure you have fuel reserves and a viable alternate airport.

This briefing is generated from real-time METAR and TAF data. Always verify with official sources before flight.

QNH
1015 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
994 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (630 ft)
Pressure Alt
578 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 969 ft
ISA Deviation: +3.3°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF AMD CYAM 040344Z 0403/0414 30006KT 2SM BR BKN002 TEMPO 0403/0406 6SM BR FEW002 FM040600 30005KT 1/2SM FG VV002 TEMPO 0406/0410 6SM BR SCT002 FM041000 34005KT 1/2SM FG VV002 BECMG 0410/0412 P6SM NSW SKC RMK NXT FCST BY 040800Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
05:53Z BASE
+0h
LIFR 300° 6 kt
Visibility: 2SM
Ceiling: 200 ft
Mist
06:00Z FM040600
+1h
LIFR 300° 5 kt
Visibility: 1/2SM
Ceiling: 200 ft
Fog
06:00Z TEMPO
+1h
VFR
Visibility: 6SM
Mist
10:00Z FM041000
+5h
LIFR 340° 5 kt
Visibility: 1/2SM
Ceiling: 200 ft
Fog

24-Hour Weather Evolution

Loading weather data...
Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
YAM
04
22
12
30 ✈️

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
04/22 6,000 ft 200 ft ASP 33°
0.3 kt 6.0 kt
93° angle
✈️ 12/30
Active: 30
6,000 ft 200 ft ASP 107°
6.0 kt 0.0 kt
0° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CYAM

9,915 observations | Sep 2025 - Jul 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
50.9%
MVFR
26.4%
IFR
15.5%
LIFR
7.2%

Sault Ste Marie Airport is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 50.9% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 22.7% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the E averaging 9.2 knots, with gusts recorded up to 34 knots. Temperature extremes range from -31°C to 32°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. Fog is a notable factor, occurring in approximately 13.4% of observations, with visibility below 3 SM in 8.8% of reports. The best months for VFR flying are July, May, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: E (90°)
Average Speed: 9.2 kt
Maximum Recorded: 34 kt
Calm Winds: 4.7%
Direction Distribution:
E
28.1%
N
6%
S
5.1%
W
18.6%
NE
5.7%
NW
18.5%
SE
6.4%
SW
7.1%

Temperature Range

Average: 1.3°C
Range: -31°C to 32°C
-31°C 32°C

Visibility

Average: 12.1 SM
Below 3 SM: 8.8%
Fog Frequency: 13.4%

Best Months for VFR

July May October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 04/22
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 7 kt
Runway 12/30
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.2 kt

Statistics computed from 9,915 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jul 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Sault Ste Marie Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: CYAM
IATA Code: YAM
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 630 ft MSL

Location

City: Sault Ste Marie
Country: CA
Latitude: 46.483216°
Longitude: -84.508467°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+6

Runway Information

Runway 04/22
Length: 6,000 ft
Width: 200 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 12/30
Length: 6,000 ft
Width: 200 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Sault Ste Marie Airport

Overview

Sault Ste Marie Airport (CYAM) serves the Ontario region as a medium-sized airport located at 46.483216, -84.508467, with an elevation of 630 feet MSL. Situated in northern Ontario, the airport provides critical transportation infrastructure for the Sault Ste Marie urban area and surrounding regions.

Flying Conditions

Pilots can expect variable weather conditions, with Visual Flight Rules (VFR) prevailing 44.4% of the time, but Marginal VFR and Instrument Flight Rules conditions occurring frequently. Temperature ranges dramatically from -27°C to 28°C, with an average of 0.4°C, indicating significant seasonal temperature variations that can impact flight operations.

Notable Features

The airport features two parallel asphalt runways (04/22 and 12/30), each 6000 feet long, providing robust operational flexibility. Winds predominantly come from the east at an average of 9.7 knots, with occasional gusts up to 34 knots, and calm conditions present 3.6% of the time.

Approach Considerations

Both runways demonstrate excellent wind alignment, with 100% favorable wind coverage. Runway 04/22 experiences an average crosswind of 7.2 knots, while runway 12/30 has a lower average crosswind of 4.9 knots. September through November offer the most consistently favorable VFR conditions for flight operations.

Data Sources & Accuracy: Airport information sourced from OurAirports.com, a collaborative database of worldwide airport data. Weather data from official aviation weather services including NOAA Aviation Weather Center and international METAR/TAF providers. Information is updated regularly but pilots should always verify current conditions and NOTAMs through official channels before flight operations.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.