Lehigh Valley International to Buffalo Niagara International ABE → BUF
201 nautical miles (232 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 314°, about 326° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 46 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot headwind), arriving about 4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ABE is marginal VFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 10 knots; BUF is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 3 knots. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 2 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.
The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words
Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 163 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 153 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 29 to 163 nm out.
A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from ABE.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 3 forecast points nearest it (AVP, PSB, BUF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 360° at 8 kt | +6 kt | 13 °C | 114 kt | 1 h 46 min | 4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 350° at 13 kt | +10 kt | 11 °C | 110 kt | 1 h 50 min | 4:31 am EDT (08:31 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 12 kt | +12 kt | 8 °C | 108 kt | 1 h 52 min | 4:33 am EDT (08:33 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 290° at 12 kt | +11 kt | 5 °C | 109 kt | 1 h 51 min | 4:32 am EDT (08:32 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 2 °C | 109 kt | 1 h 51 min | 4:32 am EDT (08:32 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 15 kt | +13 kt | -3 °C | 107 kt | 1 h 53 min | 4:34 am EDT (08:34 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 17 kt | +14 kt | -8 °C | 106 kt | 1 h 54 min | 4:35 am EDT (08:35 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 18 kt | +16 kt | -11 °C | 104 kt | 1 h 56 min | 4:37 am EDT (08:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 25 kt | +13 kt | -23 °C | 107 kt | 1 h 53 min | 4:34 am EDT (08:34 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 34 kt | +20 kt | -36 °C | 100 kt | 2 h 01 min | 4:42 am EDT (08:42 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 41 kt | +15 kt | -42 °C | 105 kt | 1 h 55 min | 4:36 am EDT (08:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 45 kt | +21 kt | -49 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 02 min | 4:43 am EDT (08:43 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.
The forecast points as issued
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 150/5 | 350/13 12° | 270/20 8° | 260/17 4° | 260/25 -11° | 240/31 -22° | 240/54 -35° | 230/61 -41° | 240/55 -49° |
| PSB | used from 96 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 360/13 13° | 330/14 7° | 300/11 3° | 290/12 -11° | 240/23 -23° | 270/25 -36° | 250/34 -40° | 250/45 -48° | |
| BUF | used from 144 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -50° |
The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABE Allentown, PA | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,900 ft | 393 ft | 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC) |
| AVP Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA | 38 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 961 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| IPT Williamsport, PA | 77 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,800 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,800 ft | 528 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| ELM Elmira/Corning, NY | 105 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 200 ft | 955 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| HTF Hornell, NY | 144 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,219 ft | ||||
| OLE Olean, NY | 163 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | 200 ft | 2,135 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| BUF Buffalo, NY | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet, a broken layer at 14,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 14,000 ft | 726 ft | 1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,135 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BUF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for BUF
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for ABE, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, showers nearby, overcast at 1,000 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 900 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at ABE 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC), at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BUF is before sunrise there (7:24 am EDT (11:24 UTC)).
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.
Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads
Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Lehigh Valley International, Buffalo Niagara International.