Dane County Regional Truax Field

KMSN / MSN

Madison, US

Last Updated
Jul 4, 14:03Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 37 min ago
14:03Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
23°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 21°C
0 kt
10 SM
Visibility
25,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1016 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

SPECI KMSN 041403Z 00000KT 10SM FEW010 FEW150 OVC250 23/21 A3000 RMK AO2 T02330206 $

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 887 ft
FEW 1,000 ft AGL
FEW 15,000 ft AGL
OVC 25,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
1,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
1,887 ft AMSL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
15,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
15,887 ft AMSL
☁️
OVC
Overcast (8/8 sky coverage)
25,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
25,887 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Dane County Regional Truax Field is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with overcast skies at 25,000 feet and 10 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are calm, presenting no crosswind concerns for any runway.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 10 SM. The ceiling is 25000 feet AGL (overcast), well above standard VFR minimums.

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 24 hours. Conditions are expected to fluctuate between VFR and MVFR. VFR pilots should be prepared for deteriorating conditions. Expected weather includes: Light Thunderstorm Rain. There is a 30% probability of MVFR conditions with Light Thunderstorm Rain between 16:00Z and 22:00Z. There is a 30% probability of MVFR conditions with Light Thunderstorm Rain between 22:00Z and 03:00Z.

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
1016 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
986 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (887 ft)
Pressure Alt
805 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 1,978 ft
ISA Deviation: +9.8°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF KMSN 041136Z 0412/0512 00000KT P6SM SCT050 BKN250 FM041500 VRB03KT P6SM BKN045 PROB30 0416/0422 6SM -TSRA OVC035CB FM042200 VRB04KT P6SM OVC070 PROB30 0422/0503 6SM -TSRA OVC035CB FM050300 00000KT P6SM BKN045 FM051000 VRB03KT P6SM BKN060
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
14:40Z BASE
+0h
VFR
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 25,000 ft
15:00Z FM041500
+1h
VFR VRB 3 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 4,500 ft
16:00Z PROB30
+2h
MVFR
Visibility: 6SM
Ceiling: 3,500 ft
Light Thunderstorm Rain
22:00Z FM042200
+8h
VFR VRB 4 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 7,000 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
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
MSN
03
21
14
32
18
36

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
03/21 7,200 ft 150 ft CON 28°
0.0 kt 0.0 kt
28° angle
14/32 5,846 ft 150 ft CON 137°
0.0 kt 0.0 kt
137° angle
18/36 9,005 ft 150 ft CON 181°
0.0 kt 0.0 kt
179° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - KMSN

8,538 observations | Sep 2025 - Jul 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
71%
MVFR
18.6%
IFR
7.2%
LIFR
3.2%

Dane County Regional Truax Field typically experiences VFR conditions 71% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 10.4% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the S averaging 7.8 knots, with gusts recorded up to 33 knots. Calm conditions occur 16.8% of the time. Temperature extremes range from -28°C to 33°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are July, May, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: S (180°)
Average Speed: 7.8 kt
Maximum Recorded: 33 kt
Calm Winds: 16.8%
Direction Distribution:
E
9.3%
N
11.1%
S
19.5%
W
8.9%
NE
4.3%
NW
15.6%
SE
6.6%
SW
8%

Temperature Range

Average: 6.2°C
Range: -28°C to 33°C
-28°C 33°C

Visibility

Average: 9.1 SM
Below 3 SM: 4%
Fog Frequency: 0.9%

Best Months for VFR

July May October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 03/21
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.1 kt
Runway 14/32
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.4 kt
Runway 18/36
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.3 kt

Statistics computed from 8,538 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jul 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Dane County Regional Truax Field - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: KMSN
IATA Code: MSN
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 887 ft MSL

Location

City: Madison
Country: US
Latitude: 43.139900°
Longitude: -89.337502°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+6

Runway Information

Runway 03/21
Length: 7,200 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No
Runway 14/32
Length: 5,846 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No
Runway 18/36
Length: 9,005 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No

About Dane County Regional Truax Field

Overview

Dane County Regional Truax Field serves Madison, Wisconsin as a medium-sized airport situated at 887 feet mean sea level. Located at coordinates 43.139900, -89.337502, the airport provides critical aviation infrastructure for the central Wisconsin region. The facility features three concrete runways ranging from 5,846 to 9,005 feet in length.

Flying Conditions

Weather conditions at KMSN demonstrate significant variability, with visual flight rules (VFR) predominating at 65.3% of observations. Pilots can expect moderate meteorological challenges, with marginal VFR conditions occurring 20.3% of the time and instrument flight rules 14.3% of the time. Temperature ranges from -28°C to 31°C, with prevailing southerly winds averaging 7.2 knots and occasional gusts up to 24 knots.

Notable Features

The airport's three runways provide flexible operational capabilities with consistent wind coverage. Runway 18/36 offers the longest surface at 9,005 feet, while runways 03/21 and 14/32 provide additional operational flexibility. Calm wind conditions occur in 18.9% of observations, suggesting potential for variable runway selection.

Approach Considerations

September through November represent the most favorable VFR flying months, with optimal visibility and minimal meteorological restrictions. All three runways demonstrate 100% favorable wind alignment, with modest average crosswind components ranging from 3.9 to 5 knots. Visibility averages 8.7 statute miles, with infrequent periods of reduced visibility (below 3 miles in 6.1% of observations) and minimal fog events (1.3%).

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.