Lehigh Valley International to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport ABE → DCA
131 nautical miles (151 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 215°, about 227° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 16-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:43 am EDT (11:43 UTC). Right now ABE is marginal VFR, wind from the north (350°) at 4 knots; DCA is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 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 whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 75 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, at the destination end.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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
- E75S at 15,000 ft, 12 nm southeast, 6:35 am EDT (10:35 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: dca arrival from 12,000 ft to 15,000 ft during the descent. 75 nm along the route, 12 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
BWI UA /OV BAL060030/TM 1035/FL150/TP E75S/TB MOD/RM DCA ARRIVAL 120-150 DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through BWI
- Where
- 30 nm northeast (060°) of BAL
- Time
- 10:35 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75S
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- dca arrival from 12,000 ft to 15,000 ft during the descent
- B738 climbing, 27 nm southeast, 6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC): remarks: during the climb runway 01 ilg bases 700 ft. 56 nm along the route, 27 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ILG UA /OV KILG/TM 1033/FLDURC/TP B738/RM DURC RY01 ILG BASES 007
- Report
- a routine report filed through ILG
- Where
- over KILG
- Time
- 10:33 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- B738
- Remarks
- during the climb runway 01 ilg bases 700 ft
- B739 at 20,000 ft, 27 nm southeast, 6:05 am EDT (10:05 UTC): light rime icing, -10 °C. 56 nm along the route, 27 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ILG UA /OV DQO/TM 1005/FL200/TP B739/TA M10/IC LGT RIME
- Report
- a routine report filed through ILG
- Where
- over DQO
- Time
- 10:05 UTC
- Height
- at 20,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Temperature
- −10 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- B737 at 700 ft, 4 nm south, 5:33 am EDT (09:33 UTC): remarks: light rain. 103 nm along the route, 4 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
BWI UA /OV BWI/TM 0933/FL007/TP B737/RM LIGHT RAIN
- Report
- a routine report filed through BWI
- Where
- over BWI
- Time
- 09:33 UTC
- Height
- at 700 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Remarks
- light rain
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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, ACY, RIC). 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 20 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 58 min | 7:43 am EDT (11:43 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 350° at 20 kt | −15 kt | 10 °C | 135 kt | 58 min | 7:43 am EDT (11:43 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 350° at 21 kt | −14 kt | 8 °C | 134 kt | 59 min | 7:44 am EDT (11:44 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 21 kt | −13 kt | 5 °C | 133 kt | 59 min | 7:44 am EDT (11:44 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 21 kt | −11 kt | 1 °C | 131 kt | 1 h | 7:45 am EDT (11:45 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | −8 kt | -3 °C | 128 kt | 1 h 01 min | 7:46 am EDT (11:46 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −4 kt | -7 °C | 124 kt | 1 h 03 min | 7:48 am EDT (11:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 20 kt | −1 kt | -10 °C | 121 kt | 1 h 05 min | 7:50 am EDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 20 kt | −1 kt | -22 °C | 121 kt | 1 h 05 min | 7:50 am EDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 27 kt | +12 kt | -35 °C | 108 kt | 1 h 13 min | 7:58 am EDT (11:58 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 30 kt | +17 kt | -40 °C | 103 kt | 1 h 16 min | 8:01 am EDT (12:01 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 36 kt | +20 kt | -48 °C | 100 kt | 1 h 19 min | 8:04 am EDT (12:04 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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; 60 nm from the line | 010/20 | 020/24 11° | 360/19 8° | 350/23 2° | 320/24 -11° | 330/25 -22° | 330/27 -37° | 310/28 -42° | 290/30 -50° |
| ACY | used from 47 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 350/12 | 340/12 11° | 340/12 6° | 340/13 2° | 270/10 -10° | 240/17 -23° | 230/46 -33° | 230/46 -40° | 240/46 -49° |
| RIC | used from 93 nm out; 99 nm from the line | 350/34 | 340/27 12° | 340/36 8° | 330/31 3° | 310/32 -9° | 320/34 -21° | 300/37 -34° | 290/37 -39° | 290/42 -46° |
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 1,200 feet | from the north (350°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 393 ft | 5:51 am EDT (09:51 UTC) |
| RDG Reading, PA | 28 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,500 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 1,500 ft | 343 ft | 10:10 UTC |
| LNS Lancaster, PA | 47 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 402 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| BWI Baltimore, MD | 103 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet | from the north (350°) at 7 knots | 8 mi | 1,300 ft | 143 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| DCA Washington, DC | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,400 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 14 ft | 6:24 am EDT (10:24 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 402 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:43 am EDT (11:43 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, a broken layer at 1,600 feet and more above marginal VFR
The whole forecast for DCA
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, a broken layer at 1,600 feet and more above
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 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
- 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 3 nm from the route, 103 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, 122 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at ABE 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 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, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.