Santos Dumont Airport

SBRJ / SDU

Rio de Janeiro, BR

Last Updated
May 15, 10:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 6 min ago
10:00Z

☀️ Day
MVFR
Flight Rules
23°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 21°C
3 kt
20°
9 km
Visibility
1,900 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
--
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR SBRJ 151000Z 02003KT 9000 SCT012 BKN019 OVC025 23/21 Q1016

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 11 ft
SCT 1,200 ft AGL
BKN 1,900 ft AGL
OVC 2,500 ft AGL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
1,200 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
1,211 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
1,900 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
1,911 ft AMSL
☁️
OVC
Overcast (8/8 sky coverage)
2,500 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,511 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

MVFR

Santos Dumont Airport is currently reporting marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions with overcast skies at 2,500 feet and 9 km visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the north-northeast (20°) at 3 knots.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 9 km. The ceiling is 1900 feet AGL (broken), placing conditions in the MVFR category.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 23°C (73°F) with a dewpoint of 21°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 12 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. Temporary IFR conditions are forecast with Mist between 06:00Z and 12:00Z.

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 SBRJ 150440Z 1506/1518 32005KT 6000 SCT020 BKN030 TN21/1509Z TX25/1516Z TEMPO 1506/1512 4000 BR BKN010 BECMG 1512/1514 17007KT BECMG 1516/1518 21010KT 8000 SCT012 OVC030 RMK PFV
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
10:05Z BASE
+0h
MVFR 320° 5 kt
Visibility: 6 km
Ceiling: 3,000 ft
12:00Z BECMG
+2h
VFR 170° 7 kt
16:00Z BECMG
+6h
MVFR 210° 10 kt
Visibility: 8 km
Ceiling: 3,000 ft

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
BRJ
02L ✈️
20R
02R ✈️
20L

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 02L/20R
Active: 02L
4,134 ft 98 ft ASP 357°
3.0 kt 0.0 kt
0° angle
✈️ 02R/20L
Active: 02R
4,341 ft 138 ft ASP 357°
3.0 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 - SBRJ

5,851 observations | Sep 2025 - May 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
81.8%
MVFR
14%
IFR
4%
LIFR
0.3%

Santos Dumont Airport enjoys predominantly VFR conditions, with visual flight rules prevailing 81.8% of the time. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 7.2 knots. Temperatures typically range between 17°C and 37°C with an average of 24.9°C. The best months for VFR flying are April, December, September.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 7.2 kt
Maximum Recorded: 22 kt
Calm Winds: 1.3%
Direction Distribution:
N
18.1%
NE
7.3%
E
7%
SE
18%
S
31.1%
SW
3.6%
W
2.6%
NW
11.1%

Temperature Range

Average: 24.9°C
Range: 17°C to 37°C
17°C 37°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 0.1%

Best Months for VFR

April December September

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 02L/20R
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.1 kt
Runway 02R/20L
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.1 kt

Statistics computed from 5,851 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - May 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Santos Dumont Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: SBRJ
IATA Code: SDU
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 11 ft MSL

Location

City: Rio de Janeiro
Country: BR
Latitude: -22.910500°
Longitude: -43.163101°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+3

Runway Information

Runway 02L/20R
Length: 4,134 ft
Width: 98 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 02R/20L
Length: 4,341 ft
Width: 138 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Santos Dumont Airport

Overview

Santos Dumont Airport serves Rio de Janeiro as a critical medium-sized urban airport located directly adjacent to Guanabara Bay. Positioned at just 11 feet above mean sea level, the airport provides essential transportation infrastructure for Brazil's second-largest metropolitan area, handling significant commercial and regional aviation traffic.

Flying Conditions

Weather conditions at Santos Dumont are predominantly favorable for flying, with VFR conditions present 81.3% of the time and MVFR conditions covering an additional 14% of observations. Temperature ranges between 17°C and 37°C, with an average of 24.2°C, and winds predominantly from the south at an average of 7.7 knots, creating generally stable atmospheric conditions for pilots.

Notable Features

The airport features two parallel asphalt runways with similar operational characteristics, both experiencing 100% favorable wind conditions and an average crosswind of 4.5 knots. Its low elevation and urban coastal location suggest potential for wind variability and thermal interactions typical of marine-adjacent airport environments.

Approach Considerations

Pilots can expect optimal visual flying conditions during December, September, and November, with consistently high visibility averaging 10 statute miles. Both runways offer symmetrical wind alignments, providing flexibility in approach and departure directions while maintaining predictable wind interaction patterns.

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.