Sumburgh Airport

EGPB / LSI

Lerwick, Shetland, GB

Last Updated
Jul 4, 07:20Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 24 min ago
07:20Z

☀️ Day
MVFR
Flight Rules
12°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 11°C
11 kt
220°
10+ km
Visibility
1,100 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
--
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR EGPB 040720Z 22011KT 9999 VCSH FEW007 BKN011 12/11 Q1014

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 20 ft
FEW 700 ft AGL
BKN 1,100 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
700 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
720 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
1,100 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
1,120 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

MVFR

Sumburgh Airport is currently reporting marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions with broken clouds at 1,100 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the southwest (220°) at 11 knots. Runway 24 is favored with a 10-knot headwind and 4-knot crosswind component.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. The ceiling is 1100 feet AGL (broken), placing conditions in the MVFR category.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 12°C (54°F) with a dewpoint of 11°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 9 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: Light Rain, Rain. Temporary IFR conditions are forecast with Light Rain between 06:00Z and 15:00Z. There is a 30% probability of VFR conditions between 06:00Z and 13:00Z. There is a 40% probability of IFR conditions with Rain between 08:00Z and 13:00Z.

Pilot Recommendations

VFR pilots should exercise caution. Consider filing IFR if instrument rated, or postponing the flight if conditions are expected to deteriorate further. 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.

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF EGPB 040456Z 0406/0415 21012KT 9999 FEW008 BKN020 TEMPO 0406/0415 7000 -RA BKN008 PROB30 TEMPO 0406/0413 22015G25KT PROB40 TEMPO 0408/0413 4000 RA BKN006 TEMPO 0413/0415 25015G25KT
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
07:43Z BASE
+0h
MVFR 210° 12 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
Ceiling: 2,000 ft
08:00Z PROB40 TEMPO
+1h
IFR
Visibility: 4 km
Ceiling: 600 ft
Rain
13:00Z TEMPO
+6h
VFR 250° 15 kt

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
GPB
06H
24H ✈️
09
27
15
33

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 06H/24H
Active: 24H
1,781 ft 144 ft ASP 53°
10.3 kt 3.8 kt
20° angle
09/27 4,915 ft 144 ft ASP 84°
7.9 kt 7.6 kt
136° angle
15/33 4,672 ft 141 ft ASP 144°
2.7 kt 10.7 kt
76° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - EGPB

18,883 observations | Sep 2025 - Jun 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
56%
MVFR
26.2%
IFR
11.3%
LIFR
6.5%

Sumburgh Airport is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 56% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 17.8% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 15 knots, with gusts recorded up to 46 knots. Temperatures typically range between -3°C and 17°C with an average of 8°C. The best months for VFR flying are September, March, November.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 15 kt
Maximum Recorded: 46 kt
Calm Winds: 0.9%
Direction Distribution:
E
6%
N
12.7%
S
24%
W
14.6%
NE
2.8%
NW
6%
SE
16.6%
SW
16.3%

Temperature Range

Average: 8°C
Range: -3°C to 17°C
-3°C 17°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 1.3%

Best Months for VFR

September March November

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 09/27
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 10.2 kt
Runway 15/33
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 8.7 kt
Runway 06H/24H
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 10.4 kt

Statistics computed from 18,883 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jun 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Sumburgh Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: EGPB
IATA Code: LSI
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 20 ft MSL

Location

City: Lerwick, Shetland
Country: GB
Latitude: 59.878899°
Longitude: -1.295560°
Time Zone: Europe/Brussels

Runway Information

Runway 06H/24H
Length: 1,781 ft
Width: 144 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 09/27
Length: 4,915 ft
Width: 144 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 15/33
Length: 4,672 ft
Width: 141 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Sumburgh Airport

Overview

Sumburgh Airport serves the Shetland Islands, located at the southernmost tip of the archipelago near Lerwick. As a medium-sized airport with three runways, it plays a critical role in connecting the remote Shetland region with mainland United Kingdom and supporting local aviation needs.

Flying Conditions

Pilots can expect highly variable weather conditions, with visual flight rules (VFR) conditions present 55.2% of the time and marginal VFR conditions occurring 28.7% of observations. The prevailing southerly winds average 15.7 knots, with occasional strong gusts up to 43 knots, and temperatures ranging from -3°C to 16°C with an average of 8.3°C.

Notable Features

The airport's three runways offer multiple landing options with consistent wind coverage, each providing 100% favorable wind conditions. Located at a low elevation of 20 feet MSL, Sumburgh Airport sits in an exposed coastal environment typical of the Shetland Islands, which can produce challenging wind and visibility conditions.

Approach Considerations

All three runways demonstrate similar crosswind characteristics, with average crosswind components between 8.8 and 11.4 knots. The extended runway 09/27 at 4,915 feet provides the longest landing surface, which may be preferable during higher wind conditions or for larger aircraft 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.