Aberdeen Regional to Rochester International ABR → RST
269 nautical miles (310 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 108°, about 101° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 47-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:11 am CDT (07:11 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ABR is IFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 9 knots; RST is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 12 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: 1 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 120 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). Over the last 20 nm of the route.
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 ABR.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 16,500 ft, 12 nm north, 10:25 pm CDT (03:25 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: during the climb. 199 nm along the route, 12 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
MSP UA /OV MSP235040/TM 0325/FL165/TP A321/TB CONS LGT /RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through MSP
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (235°) of MSP
- Time
- 03:25 UTC
- Height
- at 16,500 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- during the climb
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 eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 4 forecast points nearest it (ABR, AXN, MSP, MCW). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 210° at 9 kt | −2 kt | 122 kt | 2 h 12 min | 2:46 am CDT (07:46 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | −12 kt | 132 kt | 2 h 02 min | 2:36 am CDT (07:36 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −15 kt | 14 °C | 135 kt | 2 h | 2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −15 kt | 11 °C | 135 kt | 2 h | 2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 24 kt | −19 kt | 6 °C | 139 kt | 1 h 56 min | 2:30 am CDT (07:30 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 28 kt | −22 kt | 1 °C | 142 kt | 1 h 54 min | 2:28 am CDT (07:28 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 31 kt | −25 kt | -4 °C | 145 kt | 1 h 51 min | 2:25 am CDT (07:25 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 34 kt | −28 kt | -9 °C | 148 kt | 1 h 49 min | 2:23 am CDT (07:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 34 kt | −29 kt | -10 °C | 149 kt | 1 h 48 min | 2:22 am CDT (07:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 38 kt | −33 kt | -21 °C | 153 kt | 1 h 45 min | 2:19 am CDT (07:19 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 37 kt | −31 kt | -36 °C | 151 kt | 1 h 47 min | 2:21 am CDT (07:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 46 kt | −38 kt | -44 °C | 158 kt | 1 h 42 min | 2:16 am CDT (07:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 54 kt | −47 kt | -50 °C | 167 kt | 1 h 37 min | 2:11 am CDT (07:11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABR | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| AXN | used from 100 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| MSP | used from 150 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -52° |
| MCW | used from 249 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABR Aberdeen, SD | departure | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 1,301 ft | 11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC) |
| ATY Watertown, SD | 60 nm out, 13 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the north (010°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 1,749 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| GDB Granite Falls, MN | 130 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the west (270°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,047 ft | 05:15 UTC |
| RWF Redwood Falls, MN | 150 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the west (280°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,023 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| MKT Mankato, MN | 209 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,020 ft | 04:56 UTC |
| TOB Dodge Center, MN | 249 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,303 ft | 05:15 UTC |
| RST Rochester, MN | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 12 knots | 9 mi | none | 1,317 ft | 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,749 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RST when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:11 am CDT (07:11 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RST
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
The forecast for ABR, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 500 feet
- At times between Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) and 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 1,100 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,100 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 ABR 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC), at RST 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RST is before sunrise there (7:20 am CDT (12:20 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: Aberdeen Regional, Rochester International.