Crosswind calculator

How much crosswind is on the runway?

Crosswind and headwind or tailwind on any runway, with gusts, a runway diagram and your aircraft's crosswind limit.

Runway

Points 220°. L, C or R makes no difference.

Wind from

Wind speed

Gusts, limit and units

Gusts

Optional: the peak gust speed, in the same unit.

Maximum demonstrated crosswind

Optional: from the aircraft's flight manual (POH/AFM).

Exact runway heading

Optional: the heading from the airport chart, e.g. 223°. Replaces the runway number × 10.

Speed unit

Crosswind

8 kt

From the right · headwind 13 kt

Runway 22 (220°) pointing up, wind 250° 15 kt. From the right · headwind 13 kt

Wind components

Headwind: 13 kt
Wind angle: 30° from the right
Runway heading: 220°

What this means

The wind is 30° off the runway line, so 50% of its speed blows across.

In other units

Crosswind: 14 km/h · 9 mph · 3.9 m/s
Headwind: 24 km/h · 15 mph · 6.7 m/s

How to use

Enter the runway number, for example 22 for a runway pointing 220°.
Enter the wind direction and speed from the tower, ATIS or METAR, and the gusts if there are any.
Read the crosswind and the headwind or tailwind; the diagram shows where the wind comes from.
Optionally, add your aircraft's maximum demonstrated crosswind to see whether the wind is within it.

Crosswind at 20 kt

Angle (°)	Crosswind (kt)
0	0
15	5.2
30	10
45	14.1
60	17.3
90	20

Angle between the runway and the wind from direction, using the same north reference.

How it works

Wind rarely blows straight down a runway. Split it into two parts: the part along the runway (a headwind helps, shortening the take-off and landing roll; a tailwind lengthens it) and the part across it, the crosswind, which pushes the aircraft sideways and has to be corrected with the controls.

If θ is the angle between the wind direction and the runway heading and V is the wind speed, the crosswind is V × sin θ and the headwind is V × cos θ. Example: runway 22 points 220°, and a wind from 250° at 15 kt is 30° off the runway. The crosswind is 15 × sin 30° = 7.5 kt from the right (8 kt in whole knots, as the calculator shows it), and the headwind is 15 × cos 30° ≈ 13 kt. Gusts are split the same way, and the gust crosswind is the one to compare with the aircraft's limit. Sources: FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), chapter 16; runway numbers from ICAO Annex 14.

The runway number is its heading rounded to tens of degrees, so the answer can be a few degrees off; enter the exact heading from the airport chart for a precise answer. Use the same reference for both: ATIS and tower winds are magnetic like the runway, but METAR and TAF winds are true, which differ by the local magnetic variation. The maximum demonstrated crosswind in the flight manual is what was shown in testing, not a hard limit, and your own and your club's limits may be lower.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a quick way to estimate the crosswind in my head?

Yes, the clock method: 15° off the runway gives about a quarter of the wind as crosswind, 30° about half, 45° about three quarters, and 60° or more nearly all of it.

Why does the crosswind from a METAR differ from the tower's?

A METAR gives the wind relative to true north, the tower and ATIS relative to magnetic north like the runway. In Finland the difference is about 10°, which can change the crosswind noticeably.

Should I use the steady wind or the gusts?

Look at both. The steady wind gives the typical crosswind; the gust crosswind is the worst case you may meet in the flare, so compare it with your limit.

What if the wind is a tailwind?

The calculator then shows the headwind on the other end of the same runway. Most light aircraft have a small tailwind limit, often 10 kt, so the other end is usually the better choice.

Do I enter L or R from the runway name?

No. Enter only the runway number, or supply its exact heading. L, C and R distinguish parallel runways and do not change the calculation.

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