Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (YSSY · SYD) METAR & TAF
Live METAR, TAF & runway wind for Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport.
Get the current YSSY (SYD) weather for Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney (Mascot), Australia. The decoder below pulls the live METAR and TAF, breaks them into plain language, and uses the published runway headings to show which runway end is best lined up with the reported wind. It is the same operational weather language tested across the EASA ATPL Meteorology and Flight Planning syllabus.
Other major airports in Oceania with live SkyStudy weather pages include Brisbane (BNE), Perth (PER) and Adelaide (ADL).
Studying for the EASA ATPL? Practice Meteorology questions free.
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport airport facts
- ICAO code
- YSSY
- IATA code
- SYD
- Location
- Sydney (Mascot), Australia
- Elevation
- 21 ft
- Runways
- 3
- Coordinates
- -33.946, 151.177
- Timezone
- Australia/Sydney
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport runways
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport has 3 published runways (07/25, 16L/34R, 16R/34L). The longest runway, 16R/34L, is about 12,999 ft (3,962 m) long. SkyStudy uses these runway headings with the live METAR wind to show the best-aligned runway end.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Headings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07/25 | 8,300 ft | ASP | 07 (74°) / 25 (254°) |
| 16L/34R | 7,999 ft | ASP | 16L (168°) / 34R (348°) |
| 16R/34L | 12,999 ft | ASP | 16R (168°) / 34L (348°) |
Want to work a runway scenario by hand? Open the wind component calculator to get headwind, crosswind, and the gust case for any heading.
How to read the YSSY METAR
A METAR always follows the same order, so once you know the pattern you can read any station, including YSSY, at a glance:
- Station & time, the ICAO code (YSSY) and the observation time in UTC (Zulu).
- Wind, direction in degrees true and speed in knots, with gusts after a G. This is what SkyStudy matches against the Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport runways above.
- Visibility & weather: prevailing visibility, then any precipitation or obscuration codes.
- Cloud, cover and base in hundreds of feet AGL (FEW, SCT, BKN, OVC).
- Temperature / dewpoint and the altimeter setting close out the report.
This is the same operational weather language tested across EASA ATPL Meteorology and Flight Planning. Prefer a guided walkthrough? Use the full METAR & TAF decoder.
YSSY weather, frequently asked questions
What is the ICAO code for Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport?
The ICAO code for Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney (Mascot), Australia is YSSY, and its IATA code is SYD. Pilots use the ICAO code YSSY to request the METAR and TAF for this airport.
How do I read the YSSY METAR?
Read the YSSY METAR in order: station and time, then wind (direction in degrees true and speed in knots), visibility, weather and cloud, temperature and dewpoint, and finally the altimeter setting. The decoder above turns the raw YSSY METAR into this plain-language order automatically.
Where does the YSSY weather data come from?
The live METAR and TAF are pulled from the public NOAA Aviation Weather Center feed, the same authoritative source used in flight planning, and refreshed every few minutes. SkyStudy then layers its runway and wind logic on top.
How many runways does Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport have?
Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport has 3 published runways (07/25, 16L/34R, 16R/34L). SkyStudy combines these runway headings with the live YSSY wind to show which runway end is best aligned right now.
Is the YSSY METAR and TAF decoder free?
Yes. SkyStudy publishes this YSSY weather page as a free tool. If you are studying for EASA ATPL exams, the same METAR and TAF language appears in Meteorology, Flight Planning, and Operational Procedures, and SkyStudy turns it into practice questions and mock exams.
More airports in Oceania
Get the free METAR cheat sheet
Every METAR code group decoded on one page, built for quick reference. Unlocked instantly, and delivered to your inbox.
Studying for the EASA ATPL exams?
Reading weather is exactly what Meteorology, Flight Planning and Operational Procedures test. SkyStudy turns it into exam-style question practice across every ATPL subject, with spaced repetition and timed mock exams. Free to start, no card needed.