Manama, Bahrain
Live METAR wind (360° at 9 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 30R+30L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Bahrain International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 17:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 30R+30L. The METAR wind is 360° at 9 kt. 30R shows +4.9 kt headwind and 7.5 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 17:13.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12L | 123° | 12,979 ft | -4.9 kt | 7.5 kt | Standby |
| 30R | 303° | 12,979 ft | +4.9 kt | 7.5 kt | Landing + departure |
| 12R | 123° | 8,302 ft | -4.9 kt | 7.5 kt | Standby |
| 30L | 303° | 8,302 ft | +4.9 kt | 7.5 kt | Landing + departure |
METAR OBBI 261330Z 36009KT CAVOK 32/22 Q1013 NOSIG
Live weather
VFR360° @ 9 kt
32°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1013 hPa
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Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Short final 30R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 78/100
Short final 30R - sunny side sits 957 m from the 30L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 332.3°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 10:00–11:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Side light
Google Maps navigationShort final 30L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 76/100
Short final 30L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 30L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 332.3°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 10:00–11:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Side light
Google Maps navigationKnow a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 118.5 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.2 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 957 m from 30L, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Mon 26 Oct, 17:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 30R+30L. The METAR wind is 360° at 9 kt. 30R shows +4.9 kt headwind and 7.5 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 117° azimuth and 22° elevation. Short final 30R - sunny side scores 92/100, 1058 m from runway 30L, view bearing 273.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 245° and 18°. Short final 30R - sunny side scores 79/100 on a 332.3° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
Short final 30R - sunny side is 957 m from the 30L centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
Monitor Tower 118.5 MHz, Ground 121.675 MHz, Approach 127.85 MHz, ATIS 127.2 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 118.5 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 360° at 9 kt, so 30R remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/OBBI#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Bahrain International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.