Ted Stevens Anchorage International to Houston County ANC → CHU
2,289 nautical miles (2,635 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 090°, about 074° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 12 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 62-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ANC is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 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: 3 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 route from 1840 to 2089 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1840 to 1860 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 ANC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- P28A at 4,000 ft, 35 nm southwest, 1:27 am AKDT (09:27 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,800 ft, 10 °C. 1979 nm along the route, 35 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV KFAR270015/TM 0927/FL040/TP P28A/SK OVC013-TOP038/TA 10/TB NEG/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- 15 nm west (270°) of KFAR
- Time
- 09:27 UTC
- Height
- at 4,000 ft
- Aircraft
- P28A
- Sky
- overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,800 ft
- Temperature
- 10 °C
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- E75L at 2,200 ft, 25 nm southwest, 2:58 am AKDT (10:58 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 2,200 ft. 1989 nm along the route, 25 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV KFAR/TM 1058/FL022/TP E75L/SK OVC013-TOP022
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- over KFAR
- Time
- 10:58 UTC
- Height
- at 2,200 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Sky
- overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 2,200 ft
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 33 nm southwest, 12:30 am AKDT (08:30 UTC): light chop turbulence above 35,000 ft. 1999 nm along the route, 33 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV FAR/TM 0830/FL350/TP B39M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 350
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- over FAR
- Time
- 08:30 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop at 35,000 ft
- E75L at 20,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 2:35 am AKDT (10:35 UTC): light to moderate turbulence above 20,000 ft. 2139 nm along the route, 37 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
JMR UA /OV JMR/TM 1035/FL200/TP E75L/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD 200
- Report
- a routine report filed through JMR
- Where
- over JMR
- Time
- 10:35 UTC
- Height
- at 20,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate at 20,000 ft
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (ANC, GKN, YAK, JNU, ANN). 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 | 190° at 14 kt | +4 kt | 116 kt | 19 h 44 min | 1:53 am CDT (06:53 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 17 h 45 min | 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −14 kt | -3 °C | 134 kt | 17 h 05 min | 11:14 pm CDT (04:14 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 23 kt | −15 kt | -5 °C | 135 kt | 16 h 57 min | 11:06 pm CDT (04:06 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | −17 kt | -8 °C | 137 kt | 16 h 42 min | 10:51 pm CDT (03:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 34 kt | −21 kt | -12 °C | 141 kt | 16 h 14 min | 10:23 pm CDT (03:23 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 38 kt | −26 kt | -15 °C | 146 kt | 15 h 41 min | 9:50 pm CDT (02:50 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 43 kt | −30 kt | -19 °C | 150 kt | 15 h 16 min | 9:25 pm CDT (02:25 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 45 kt | −31 kt | -20 °C | 151 kt | 15 h 10 min | 9:19 pm CDT (02:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 58 kt | −35 kt | -31 °C | 155 kt | 14 h 46 min | 8:55 pm CDT (01:55 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 69 kt | −49 kt | -43 °C | 169 kt | 13 h 33 min | 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 76 kt | −62 kt | -49 °C | 182 kt | 12 h 35 min | 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 67 kt | −49 kt | -54 °C | 169 kt | 13 h 33 min | 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANC | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | 210/7 -6° | 200/8 -12° | 210/7 -19° | 200/7 -31° | 190/10 -43° | 250/23 -49° | 250/37 -50° | 250/45 -49° |
| GKN | used from 100 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 170/11 | 200/6 -6° | 220/8 -12° | 230/10 -18° | 230/12 -31° | 240/14 -43° | 250/17 -51° | 250/37 -50° | 240/45 -47° |
| YAK | used from 250 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 230/10 | 240/14 -5° | 250/18 -11° | 260/22 -18° | 250/33 -30° | 250/51 -38° | 250/57 -46° | 250/60 -47° | 240/62 -47° |
| JNU | used from 400 nm out; 126 nm from the line | 190/12 | 240/16 -3° | 240/21 -9° | 240/36 -13° | 240/58 -23° | 240/79 -34° | 240/92 -46° | 250/92 -47° | 250/80 -49° |
| ANN | used from 800 nm out; 342 nm from the line | 180/18 | 260/21 0° | 260/25 -2° | 250/33 -5° | 260/49 -16° | 250/62 -27° | 260/74 -41° | 270/82 -50° | 260/69 -57° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ANC Anchorage, AK | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,600 feet, a broken layer at 5,500 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 151 ft | 2:53 am AKDT (10:53 UTC) |
| VDZ Valdez, AK | 110 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,200 feet, overcast at 3,100 feet Weather: light rain | calm | 10+ mi | 2,200 ft | 128 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| CYXY Whitehorse, | 430 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 15 mi | none | 2,317 ft | 11:00 UTC |
| CYZW Teslin, | 510 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 5,300 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 30 mi | 5,300 ft | 2,313 ft | 00:00 UTC |
| GFK Grand Forks, ND | 1939 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the north (010°) at 8 knots | 8 mi | 400 ft | 845 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| STC St Cloud, MN | 2129 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the northwest (320°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,030 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| CHU Caledonia, MN | destination | no report just now | 1,179 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,317 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CHU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC)
CHU has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for ANC, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm AKDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am AKDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm AKDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8772 Anchorage, AK, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · starts tomorrow · ZAN
- 6/8889 Anchorage, AK, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZAN
- 6/4348 GRAND FORKS AFB, ND, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local on the route, 1929 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZMP
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 2159 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at ANC 6:54 pm AKDT (02:54 UTC), at CHU 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:56 pm CDT (23:56 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CHU is after sunset there (6:28 pm CDT (23:28 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: Ted Stevens Anchorage International, Houston County.