Launch Code has a new lookOur first major redesign since the early days. Explore the new features and learn where everything is.
See What's New!Opens in a new tab

LAUNCH CODE AVIATION FORECAST

HICKORY KHKY

Aviation Weather Report for Hickory, North Carolina

Nearby current conditions

Current Conditions at
Hickory Rgnl (KHKY)
72°F
Clear

Observed Oct 12, 07:53 PM EDT
13 minutes ago

Rel. humidity
53%
Dew point
54°F
Visibility
10 mi
Pressure
30.03 inHg
Flight rule
VFR
Sun AlmanacOct 12 · EDT
Naut. dawn
6:33 AM
Civil dawn
7:03 AM
Sunrise
7:29 AM
Sunset
6:55 PM
Civil dusk
7:21 PM
Naut. dusk
7:51 PM
Approximate - station coordinates
Wind Data
6 mph
330° from

Cloud level(s): No cloud detected below automated reporting limit

0.01 nautical miles from forecast point · NC, US · Elevation 1171.3 ft · Times in forecast location’s zone

Raw METAR

KHKY 122353Z AUTO 33005KT 10SM CLR 22/12 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP150 T02170122 10267 20217 53003

In the Vicinity

Flood Warning issued October 12 at 12:54PM EDT until October 12 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Greenville-Spartanburg SC

Nearest available reports, up to two hours old. Nearby observations may differ from conditions at your launch site.

Weather in North Carolina

Extended Forecast · Every 3 Hours

Aviation Weather Forecast at Hickory, North Carolina

NBS V5.0 · Issued Oct 12, 2026 at 23:00 UTC
WindTemp

Three-hour spacing throughout.

Supplemental guidance — not a go/no-go decision. Do not rely on this page alone. Obtain a preflight briefing and verify actual conditions. Favorable symbols and phrases only reflect your selected limits. Pilot responsibility & terms

Forecast for HICKORY. Values align with the valid time in each column. N/A means unavailable.
DATE VALID TIMETue Oct 13Wed Oct 14Thu Oct 15
HOUR UTC03:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:0000:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:0000:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00
Sky conditionsCloud coverClear0%Clear1%Clear7%Clear12%Clear8%Clear4%Clear3%Clear2%Clear3%Clear2%Clear3%Clear9%Clear2%Clear2%Clear1%Clear4%Clear1%Clear1%Clear4%Mostly clear20%Clear9%Clear6%Mostly clear13%
Temperature°F6057555470807969636058577382827165636161758281
Heat index°F—————81———————8384——————8584
Wind chill°FNot available———————————————————————
Wind directionFrom / degreesWNW290°NW320°NW310°WNW290°○CalmSW230°SSW210°SSW210°○Calm○CalmWNW300°NW320°○CalmSSW200°SSW210°○Calm○Calm○CalmWNW290°○Calm○CalmS190°S190°
Wind speedmph55530562003303500010035
Wind gustsmph55553895323336832222277
CeilingFeet AGLUnlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.
IFR ceiling chanceCeiling below 1,000 ft / %02571000171012744471117201065
Lowest cloud baseFeet AGL27,00027,00024,00021,00022,00021,0006,00018,00011,000Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.Unlim.15,00021,00023,00021,00026,00018,00011,0003,2003,200
VisibilityStatute miles10.010.010.08.010.010.010.010.010.010.010.04.010.010.010.010.010.010.02.03.010.010.010.0
IFR visibility chanceVisibility below 3 mi / %03101500001913N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Flight categoryCeiling + visibilityVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRMVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRVFRIFRMVFRVFRVFRVFR
Precipitation chance6 hours ending / %00111000000N/A
Precipitation amount6 hours ending / inches0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00N/A
Thunderstorm chance3 hours ending / %00000011100000110000124
Rain probabilityIf precipitation occurs / %00000000000000000000235
Snow probabilityIf precipitation occurs / %00000000000000000000000
Snow amount6 hours ending / inches0.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0N/A
Freezing rainIf precipitation occurs / %00000000000000000000000
Ice amount6 hours ending / inches0.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.000.00N/A
Sleet probabilityIf precipitation occurs / %00000000000000000000000
Mixing heightFeet AGL40040040030090038002500400400400300400130034002600400400400400400170038003500
Transport wind directionMixed layer / from degreesWNW300°NW310°NW310°WNW290°W260°WSW240°SW220°SSW210°WSW250°W280°WNW290°NW310°NW310°SW230°SW220°SW230°W280°WNW290°NW310°NNW330°W270°SSW200°SSW200°
Transport wind speedmph / mixed layer65533577665536665553367
Relative humidityPercent100100100100735258819710010010071535781100100100100766363
Dew point°F6057555461616363626058576363656565636161676867
Temp / dew spread°F000091916610001019176000081414
VFRMVFRIFRLIFRN/A: unavailable · Unlim.: unlimited ceiling · AGL: above ground level
About this forecast

Flight category uses the more restrictive of forecast ceiling (CIG) and visibility. Lowest cloud base is shown separately and is not substituted for ceiling. Both inputs must be available to assign a category.

Rows marked 1 hour describe only the hour ending at that column. Six-hour blocks cover the displayed columns ending at their valid time. Edge blocks may cover only part of the displayed table; hover to see their full time range. A six-hour precipitation limit applies to all covered columns, without dividing its probability or amount. Other personal limits compare the forecast value at each column time, not every moment between forecasts.

Air Sports Flying Conditions compares only the limits you enable: a thumbs up means all selected limits are met, a thumbs down means at least one is exceeded, and a question mark means required data is missing. Click a symbol for details. This is a personal forecast comparison, not a flight clearance.

Snow, freezing-rain, sleet, and rain probabilities describe precipitation type if precipitation occurs. Snow and ice accumulation periods are specified in each row. Mixing height and transport winds describe the atmospheric mixing layer, not thermal strength or winds at a specific flight altitude.

Curves connect model forecast points for readability and do not add intermediate forecast values. Wind arrows point toward the direction of travel; compass labels show where the wind comes from. Wind chill and heat index are shown only in their applicable ranges. A dash in those rows means not applicable; N/A means required data is unavailable. Compare this guidance with observations, official aviation forecasts, and your preflight briefing.

Your flying conditions

Choose what matters to your flying. Only enabled limits are checked.

Limits are inclusive and saved in this browser. Blank minimum or maximum means no limit on that side. These preferences do not determine whether a flight is safe.

Use / forecast elementMinimumMaximum

Limits retain their labeled periods in both views. A required period unavailable in this product gives a question mark. Hourly limits are separate from three- and six-hour limits. Direction ranges can cross north, for example 315° to 45°. Unknown required data gives a question mark, never a thumbs up.

Personal conditions

    This checks your selected forecast limits, not all factors affecting a flight. Values apply at model forecast times; six-hour precipitation covers the full indicated period.

    View source NBS bulletin
     KHKY    NBM V5.0 NBS GUIDANCE    10/12/2026  2300 UTC
     DT /OCT  13               /OCT  14                /OCT  15               
     UTC  03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 00 03 06 09 12 15 18 21 
     FHR  04 07 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70 
     TXN           54          81          57          83          61         
     XND            2           1           2           1           2         
     TMP  60 57 55 54 70 80 79 69 63 60 58 57 73 82 82 71 65 63 61 61 75 82 81
     TSD   2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  1  2  2  2  2  2  2  1  2  2  2  2  2  3  3
     DPT  60 57 55 54 61 61 63 63 62 60 58 57 63 63 65 65 65 63 61 61 67 68 67
     DSD   1  1  1  1  2  3  2  2  1  1  1  1  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  2  3  3  2
     WBG  59 56 54 54 68 75 73 66 62 60 57 57 71 78 75 68 65 62 61 61 74 79 76
     SKY   0  1  7 12  8  4  3  2  3  2  3  9  2  2  1  4  1  1  4 20  9  6 13
     SSD   0  1 20 22 27  4  4  3  4  3  3 10  3  3  1  8  2  4  9 20  5  5 16
     WDR  29 32 31 29 25 23 21 21 25 31 30 32 27 20 21 22 27 29 29 31 21 19 19
     WSP   4  4  4  3  0  4  5  2  0  0  3  3  0  3  4  0  0  0  1  0  0  3  4
     WSD   2  2  2  2  2  1  1  2  1  2  2  2  1  2  1  2  1  2  2  2  2  2  2
     GST   4  4  4  4  3  7  8  4  3  2  3  3  3  5  7  3  2  2  2  2  2  6  6
     GSD   2  2  2  2  1  1  2  2  1  1  2  2  1  2  1  2  1  1  2  1  3  2  2
     P06      0     0     1     1     1     0     0     0     0     0     0   
     P12            0           1           1           0           0         
     Q06      0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0   
     Q12            0           0           0           0           0         
     DUR            0           0           0           0           0         
     T03   0  0  0  0  0  0  1  1  1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1  0  0  0  0  1  2  4
     T06      0     0     1     1     1     0     0     1     1     0     3   
     T12            0           1           1           1           1         
     PZR   0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
     PSN   0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
     PPL   0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0
     PRA   0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  2  3  5
     S06      0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0   
     SLV  88 88 90 90 97110120120120120120120120120120120120120120120130130130
     I06      0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0   
     CIG -88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88-88
     IFC   0  2  5  7  1  0  0  0  1  7 10 12  7  4  4  4  7 11 17 20 10  6  5
     LCB 270270240210220210 60180110-88-88-88-88-88150210230210260180110 32 32
     VIS 100100100 80100100100100100100100 40100100100100100100 20 30100100100
     IFV   0  3 10 15  0  0  0  0  1  9 13-99-99-99-99-99-99-99-99-99-99-99-99
     MHT   4  4  4  3  9 38 25  4  4  4  3  4 13 34 26  4  4  4  4  4 17 38 35
     TWD  30 31 31 29 26 24 22 21 25 28 29 31 31 23 22 23 28 29 31 33 27 20 20
     TWS   5  4  4  3  3  4  6  6  5  5  4  4  3  5  5  5  4  4  4  3  3  5  6
     SOL   0  0  0  3 54 67 36  8  0  0  0  3 51 66 42 15  0  0  0  0 31 49 53
                                                                              

    Pilot responsibility & use of this forecast

    Do not use this page as your only source for a flight decision. Launch Code provides supplemental, automated weather guidance. It is not a substitute for a complete preflight weather briefing, current observations, applicable aviation forecasts and advisories, or your assessment of actual conditions at the launch site and along your intended route.

    You are responsible for deciding whether to launch, continue, divert, or land. Fly only within your training, experience, personal minimums, aircraft limitations, and applicable operating rules and qualifications. Verify the forecast location, issue time, and valid times. Recheck conditions before departure and throughout the flight; delay or cancel when conditions are uncertain or unsuitable.

    Forecasts may be incomplete, delayed, incorrect, or different from the weather you encounter. Conditions can change rapidly. Missing data or a hazard not shown on this page does not mean that the hazard is absent. Air Sports Net does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or suitability of this guidance for any flight.

    A favorable symbol, color, or phrase is not a recommendation or authorization to fly. Personal-limit results compare only the available forecast values against the checks you enable. They do not evaluate every risk. Phrases such as “Go Fly” are optional display captions, not operational advice.

    Obtain a preflight briefing and consult additional aviation weather sources. In the United States, visit Flight Service or call 1-800-WX-BRIEF. Use of this forecast is at your own risk and is subject to the Air Sports Net Terms of Use.

    Graphics are not to scale and should not be scaled for interpolation.