Boise Air Trml/Gowen Field to Chicago Midway International BOI → MDW
1,255 nautical miles (1,444 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 085°, about 072° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 28 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 48-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:38 pm CDT (19:38 UTC). Right now BOI is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) 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: 171 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 40 to 807 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 40 to 388 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 428 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 route from 488 to 488 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 route from 857 to 1096 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 BOI.
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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (BOI, PIH, LND, RAP, PIR, ONL, FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −15 kt | 13 °C | 135 kt | 9 h 18 min | 4:28 pm CDT (21:28 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −14 kt | 11 °C | 134 kt | 9 h 22 min | 4:32 pm CDT (21:32 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | −15 kt | 6 °C | 135 kt | 9 h 18 min | 4:28 pm CDT (21:28 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −18 kt | 3 °C | 138 kt | 9 h 06 min | 4:16 pm CDT (21:16 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −20 kt | -1 °C | 140 kt | 8 h 58 min | 4:08 pm CDT (21:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | −20 kt | -6 °C | 140 kt | 8 h 58 min | 4:08 pm CDT (21:08 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 31 kt | −21 kt | -11 °C | 141 kt | 8 h 54 min | 4:04 pm CDT (21:04 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 31 kt | −21 kt | -12 °C | 141 kt | 8 h 54 min | 4:04 pm CDT (21:04 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 37 kt | −25 kt | -23 °C | 145 kt | 8 h 39 min | 3:49 pm CDT (20:49 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 43 kt | −35 kt | -33 °C | 155 kt | 8 h 06 min | 3:16 pm CDT (20:16 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 47 kt | −42 kt | -37 °C | 162 kt | 7 h 45 min | 2:55 pm CDT (19:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 50 kt | −48 kt | -46 °C | 168 kt | 7 h 28 min | 2:38 pm CDT (19:38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOI | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 320/11 1° | 280/8 -5° | 220/14 -11° | 200/60 -19° | 190/66 -31° | 210/46 -32° | 220/50 -33° | 220/43 -39° | |
| PIH | used from 100 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 070/8 | 150/19 1° | 180/32 -4° | 210/44 -17° | 210/37 -28° | 210/74 -31° | 220/68 -35° | 220/60 -43° | |
| LND | used from 249 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 240/10 3° | 240/30 0° | 220/42 -13° | 230/52 -23° | 220/54 -33° | 220/52 -36° | 220/53 -44° | ||
| RAP | used from 448 nm out; 100 nm from the line | 250/28 16° | 260/31 10° | 240/25 4° | 210/35 -10° | 200/45 -23° | 230/47 -31° | 230/47 -36° | 230/51 -46° | |
| PIR | used from 647 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| ONL | used from 747 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 250/31 22° | 230/27 16° | 220/25 8° | 230/25 -9° | 220/29 -22° | 250/42 -33° | 250/48 -36° | 250/52 -46° | |
| FSD | used from 797 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| MCW | used from 896 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| DBQ | used from 1046 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| JOT | used from 1195 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOI Boise, ID | departure | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 2,871 ft | 5:53 am MDT (11:53 UTC) |
| SUN Hailey, ID | 80 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southeast (160°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 5,319 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| JAC Jackson, WY | 239 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 11,000 feet | from the north (010°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 6,451 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| HSG Thermopolis, WY | 339 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,900 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 2,900 ft | 4,891 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 568 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: light rain, fog | from the east (100°) at 4 knots | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 3,203 ft | 12:03 UTC |
| ICR Winner, SD | 717 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north (360°) at 9 knots | 1.75 mi | 200 ft | 2,032 ft | 12:05 UTC |
| SXK Maurice, IA | 877 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,408 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| CAV Clarion, IA | 986 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 feet | from the south (170°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,156 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 1046 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 873 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 1235 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 758 ft | 11:52 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,451 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:38 pm CDT (19:38 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MDW
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for BOI, the departure
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, 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 BOI 7:05 pm MDT (01:05 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Boise Air Trml/Gowen Field, Chicago Midway International.