How to Read METAR Wind for Crosswind Calculations
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Full bio →The crosswind calculator needs three values from the wind report: wind direction, wind speed, and gust speed. METAR and ATIS encode all three in a compact format. Here is how to extract them.
METAR Wind Group Format
The wind group in a METAR always appears as: DDDSSKT or DDDSSGggKT
| Field | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| DDD | Wind direction (degrees from) | 270 = wind from west |
| SS | Steady wind speed | 15 = 15 knots |
| G | Gust indicator (only present if gusts) | G |
| gg | Gust speed | 22 = gusting to 22 knots |
| KT | Unit = knots | KT |
Examples:
| METAR string | Means |
|---|---|
27015KT | Wind from 270° at 15 knots, no gusts |
27015G22KT | Wind from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 22 |
33020G30KT | Wind from 330° at 20 knots, gusting 30 |
00000KT | Calm wind (no direction, no speed) |
VRB03KT | Variable direction at 3 knots |
Extracting Values for the Calculator
From 33020G30KT:
- Wind direction → 330
- Wind speed → 20
- Gust speed → 30
Enter all three into the crosswind calculator. The calculator computes both the steady crosswind component (from 20 knots) and the gust crosswind component (from 30 knots). Always check the gust component against your aircraft’s demonstrated limit — the gust is the operationally relevant number.
Wind Direction Convention
METAR wind direction is the direction the wind is coming FROM, in degrees true at flight levels and degrees magnetic at surface stations (below 18,000 ft in the US).
270= wind from the west (blowing eastward)360(or000) = wind from the north090= wind from the east
When you enter wind direction into the crosswind calculator, use the three-digit METAR value directly. No conversion needed.
Variable Wind Reports
VRB (variable direction): Reported when wind direction fluctuates more than 60° and speed is 6 knots or less. No reliable crosswind calculation is possible. For landing purposes, treat this as worst-case — assume a crosswind equal to full wind speed from any direction, and choose the runway with the best visual wind indicator (windsock).
Variable sector notation: When winds are variable between two sectors (e.g., 360V090 reported after the wind group), use the sector most unfavorable for your runway when calculating crosswind. The 360V090 notation means winds have varied between 360° and 090°.
ATIS vs METAR
| Source | Updated | Precision | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| METAR | Every 30 min (or special) | Exact — recorded observation | Pre-flight planning, departure check |
| ATIS | Updated by controller when significant changes occur | May lag — controller discretion | Arrival — most current available |
| Tower | Real-time | Spoken, approximate | Final approach correction |
For pre-flight crosswind planning, use the METAR. For the approach, use ATIS and confirm with tower. The crosswind calculator accepts the exact METAR values — no rounding required.
Wind Units in METAR
US METARs always use knots (KT). Some countries use meters per second (MPS) — these appear as DDDSSSMPS or DDDSSGggMPS.
The crosswind calculator supports kts, mph, km/h, and m/s — select the matching unit before entering values.
Gust Factor and Why It Matters
The gust crosswind component — not the steady crosswind — determines whether landing is within aircraft limits. A METAR of 27010G25KT on runway 27 (270°) at 90° angle means:
| Component | Steady (10 kts) | Gust (25 kts) |
|---|---|---|
| Crosswind | 10 kts | 25 kts |
| Headwind | 0 kts | 0 kts |
If the aircraft limit is 15 kts, the steady wind is well within limits but the gust exceeds them by 10 knots. The gust component is the go/no-go number.
For the formula behind the calculation, see crosswind component formula. For the full step-by-step process from METAR to landing decision, see how to calculate crosswind component.