WINTHROP, Washington — Pilots traveling in the Methow Valley now have a new way to access weather information online via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) website.
Weather data for pilots is made possible through the automated weather observing system (AWOS) at the Methow Valley State Airport.
The Washington State Department of Transportation recently installed upgrades to the AWOS that enabled the weather information to be available online through NOAA’s website.
Previously the AWOS, which informs pilots of conditions such as wind, rain and visibility, only broadcasted information via cockpit radio or telephone.
Methow Valley State Airport is one of 16 airports that WSDOT operates and is the only one eligible for federal funds. The airport is used for business travel, recreation and to support emergency operations.
Pilots can access the system online at NOAA’s website, via cockpit radio at 118.425 MHz (from a distance of up to 60 miles) or by phone at 509-997-0142.
Pilots flying into Methow should check notices to airmen or call State Airport Manager Paul Wolf at 360-618-2477 for more information.