Walla Walla Regional to Seattle Paine Field International ALW → PAE
197 nautical miles (226 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 305°, about 291° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, no wind along the track), arriving about 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC). Right now ALW is VFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots; PAE is VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 11 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: 5 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 ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 14,000 ft. Over the first 69 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 25,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 0 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 ALW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- GL7T at 40,000 ft, 36 nm south, 2:35 pm PDT (21:35 UTC): light to moderate turbulence from 37,500 ft to 40,000 ft, remarks: durd-zse. At the departure end, 36 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
PDT UA /OV PDT100030/TM 2135/FL400/TP GL7T/TB OCNL LGT-MOD 400-375/RM DURD-ZSE
- Report
- a routine report filed through PDT
- Where
- 30 nm east (100°) of PDT
- Time
- 21:35 UTC
- Height
- at 40,000 ft
- Aircraft
- GL7T
- Turbulence
- occasional light to moderate from 40,000 ft to 37,500 ft
- Remarks
- durd-zse
- C172 at 5,500 ft, 36 nm northeast, 3:17 pm PDT (22:17 UTC): a trace of rime icing, 0 °C, remarks: zse. 10 nm along the route, 36 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
PUW UA /OV PUW250030/TM 2217/FL055/TP C172/TA 00/IC TRACE RIME/RM -ZSE
- Report
- a routine report filed through PUW
- Where
- 30 nm west (250°) of PUW
- Time
- 22:17 UTC
- Height
- at 5,500 ft
- Aircraft
- C172
- Temperature
- 0 °C
- Icing
- trace rime
- Remarks
- zse
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 (LWS, YKM, SEA). 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 | 020° at 13 kt | +3 kt | 117 kt | 1 h 41 min | 6:11 pm PDT (01:11 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 020° at 15 kt | +3 kt | -1 °C | 117 kt | 1 h 41 min | 6:11 pm PDT (01:11 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 030° at 19 kt | +2 kt | -6 °C | 118 kt | 1 h 40 min | 6:10 pm PDT (01:10 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 030° at 18 kt | +1 kt | -9 °C | 119 kt | 1 h 39 min | 6:09 pm PDT (01:09 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 030° at 16 kt | 0 | -13 °C | 120 kt | 1 h 38 min | 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 030° at 20 kt | +2 kt | -16 °C | 118 kt | 1 h 40 min | 6:10 pm PDT (01:10 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 020° at 25 kt | +4 kt | -19 °C | 116 kt | 1 h 42 min | 6:12 pm PDT (01:12 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 020° at 28 kt | +5 kt | -21 °C | 115 kt | 1 h 43 min | 6:13 pm PDT (01:13 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 010° at 45 kt | +20 kt | -28 °C | 100 kt | 1 h 58 min | 6:28 pm PDT (01:28 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 360° at 38 kt | +20 kt | -37 °C | 100 kt | 1 h 58 min | 6:28 pm PDT (01:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 350° at 23 kt | +14 kt | -38 °C | 106 kt | 1 h 52 min | 6:22 pm PDT (01:22 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 14 kt | +13 kt | -41 °C | 107 kt | 1 h 50 min | 6:20 pm PDT (01:20 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LWS | used from 0 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 010/5 | 050/14 -2° | 040/12 -6° | 160/7 -10° | 190/30 -22° | 200/54 -27° | 200/48 -35° | 210/40 -37° | 230/32 -41° |
| YKM | used from 49 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 030/16 | 020/18 0° | 030/30 -8° | 030/23 -13° | 020/40 -23° | 010/73 -29° | 010/54 -36° | 360/29 -37° | 330/16 -40° |
| SEA | used from 147 nm out; 26 nm from the line | 360/9 | 350/10 1° | 010/10 -5° | 030/20 -11° | 020/60 -17° | 010/86 -26° | 360/90 -40° | 010/68 -42° | 360/31 -43° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALW Walla Walla, WA | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,900 feet, a broken layer at 7,500 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 3,900 ft | 1,194 ft | 3:53 pm PDT (22:53 UTC) |
| PSC Pasco, WA | 39 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 7,500 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 7,500 ft | 410 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| ELN Ellensburg, WA | 108 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 7,500 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 7,500 ft | 1,763 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| RNT Renton, WA | 177 nm out, 20 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 32 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| PAE Everett, WA | destination | VFR | from the northwest (320°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 606 ft | 3:53 pm PDT (22:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,763 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC)
Wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for PAE
- From Sun 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Sun 10:00 pm PDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 am PDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 2 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 am PDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 2 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for ALW, the departure
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
- From Sun 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 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 ALW 6:12 pm PDT (01:12 UTC), at PAE 6:26 pm PDT (01:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 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: Walla Walla Regional, Seattle Paine Field International.