Lethbridge County Airport

CYQL / YQL

Lethbridge, CA

Last Updated
May 14, 23:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 52 min ago
23:00Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
17°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: -2°C
37 kt
260° G49 kt
30 SM
Visibility
Ceiling
Unlimited
1004 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CYQL 142300Z 26037G49KT 30SM FEW080 FEW250 17/M02 A2964 RMK CU1CI1 CU TR SLP036 DENSITY ALT 4400FT

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 3,048 ft
FEW 8,000 ft AGL
FEW 25,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
8,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
11,048 ft AMSL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
25,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
28,048 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Lethbridge County Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with few clouds at 8,000 feet and 30 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the west (260°) at 37 knots with gusts to 49 knots. Runway 24 is favored with a 35-knot headwind and 13-knot crosswind component (gusting to 17 knots crosswind). These are strong winds that may exceed crosswind limits for light aircraft.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 30 SM. No ceiling exists. Cloud layers reported: few at 8,000 ft, few at 25,000 ft.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 17°C (63°F) with a dewpoint of -2°C, indicating very dry conditions.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 7 hours. Conditions are expected to remain VFR throughout the forecast period. Expected weather includes: FCST. Winds are forecast to reach up to 35 knots during the period. Expect variable wind speeds ranging from 18 to 35 knots.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight. Gusty conditions may exceed demonstrated crosswind components for many general aviation aircraft. Check your aircraft's limitations.

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

QNH
1004 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
902 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (3,048 ft)
Pressure Alt
3,326 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 4,298 ft
ISA Deviation: +8.1°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF AMD CYQL 142305Z 1423/1506 25035G50KT P6SM FEW080 BECMG 1423/1501 27025G35KT FM150400 25018G28KT P6SM SKC RMK NXT FCST BY 150000Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
23:51Z BASE
+0h
VFR 250° 35 kt
Visibility: >6SM
04:00Z FM150400
+5h
VFR 250° 18 kt
Visibility: >6SM
FCST

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
Chart Features
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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
YQL
06
24 ✈️
13
31

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 06/24
Active: 24
6,500 ft 200 ft ASP 70°
34.8 kt 12.7 kt
20° angle
13/31 5,500 ft 150 ft ASP 140°
18.5 kt 32.0 kt
120° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CYQL

7,295 observations | Sep 2025 - May 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
78.8%
MVFR
12.8%
IFR
4.9%
LIFR
3.5%

Lethbridge County Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 78.8% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 8.4% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the W averaging 11.3 knots, with gusts recorded up to 45 knots. Temperature extremes range from -31°C to 31°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are September, May, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: W (270°)
Average Speed: 11.3 kt
Maximum Recorded: 45 kt
Calm Winds: 2%
Direction Distribution:
N
12.8%
NE
9.9%
E
6.2%
SE
4%
S
9.9%
SW
19.1%
W
26.2%
NW
9.9%

Temperature Range

Average: 0.9°C
Range: -31°C to 31°C
-31°C 31°C

Visibility

Average: 25.6 SM
Below 3 SM: 2.3%
Fog Frequency: 2.5%

Best Months for VFR

September May October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 06/24
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.5 kt
Runway 13/31
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 8.4 kt

Statistics computed from 7,295 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - May 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Lethbridge County Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: CYQL
IATA Code: YQL
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 3,048 ft MSL

Location

City: Lethbridge
Country: CA
Latitude: 49.630299°
Longitude: -112.800003°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+8

Runway Information

Runway 06/24
Length: 6,500 ft
Width: 200 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 13/31
Length: 5,500 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Lethbridge County Airport

Overview

Lethbridge County Airport (CYQL) is a medium-sized airport serving the Lethbridge region in southern Alberta, Canada. Situated at an elevation of 3,048 feet MSL, the airport provides critical aviation infrastructure for the local area, with two asphalt runways capable of handling various aircraft operations.

Flying Conditions

The airport experiences predominantly Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions 80% of the time, with moderate variability in weather patterns. Temperature ranges from -28°C to 31°C create significant seasonal challenges, while prevailing westerly winds at an average of 10.9 knots characterize the local meteorological environment. Pilots should note that September, October, and January historically offer the most stable VFR conditions.

Notable Features

Located at coordinates 49.630299, -112.800003, Lethbridge County Airport features two parallel runways: Runway 06/24 at 6,500 feet and Runway 13/31 at 5,500 feet. Both runways demonstrate 100% favorable wind alignment, with Runway 06/24 experiencing an average crosswind of 4.8 knots and Runway 13/31 experiencing an average crosswind of 8.3 knots. Visibility typically averages 24 statute miles, with occasional reduced conditions.

Approach Considerations

Wind patterns strongly favor both runways, providing consistent approach options for pilots. The airport experiences wind speeds up to 45 knots, with calm conditions occurring 2.3% of the time. Pilots should be prepared for potential reduced visibility, as fog occurs 3.6% of the time and conditions below 3 statute miles happen in 2.1% of observations.

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.