Find another airport located within 50 to 100 miles. Use an aviation sectional chart or IFR enroute low altitude charts to look for a nearby airport that has weather reporting systems. The airport will have a radio frequency preceded by either ATIS or AWOS, depending on the type of reporting system installed at the airport.
Go to www.aviationweather.gov.
Click on the METAR request form under the Observations section.
Search the airport’s Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR) by typing in the four-digit airport code. Airport codes in the United States all begin with the letter "K" followed by three letters or a combination of letters and numbers. There are some exceptions, mostly with airports beginning with a number. For example, KORD is the identifier or Chicago O’Hare Airport. 3CK is the identifier for Lake in the Hills Airport.
Find the altimeter setting. The setting is a four-digit number preceded by the letter A. The METAR at Chicago Executive Airport shown below reports the altimeter setting as 29.99. The decimal point is always added after the first two numbers:
KPWK 191152Z 00000KT 7SM OVC024 M03/M06 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP162.
Find the field elevation of the airport. The airport elevation is listed in the airport facility directory or the sectional chart, or you can call the airport manager.
Rotate the altimeter until it shows the field elevation.
Read the altimeter setting in the Kollsman Window.
Contact Flightwatch on 122.00 or the nearest Flight Service Station displayed on the sectional chart.
Announce your position and destination.
Ask for the altimeter setting at the airport closest to your destination.
Set the altimeter to the reported station setting.
