Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall to City Of Colorado Springs Municipal BWI → COS
1,303 nautical miles (1,500 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 278°, about 289° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 11 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 12:44 pm MDT (18:44 UTC). Right now BWI is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots; COS is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 10 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: 197 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
- SIGMET E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Over the first 80 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120555 MKCE WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E VALID UNTIL 0755Z NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.
- SIGMET C10C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Near the route, at the destination end.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120555 MKCC WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10C VALID UNTIL 0755Z CO NM FROM 20NNE PUB-40WSW LAA-30WSW CIM-50WSW ALS-50ESE HBU-20NNE PUB AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- 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 first 487 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 109 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 209 nm out.
- 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 route from 706 to 1214 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 90 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the last 80 nm of the route.
- 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 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 BWI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- MD83 climbing, 9 nm north, 1:04 am EDT (05:04 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 288 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
CMH UA /OV LCK/TM 0504/FLDURC/TP MD83/SK B010 T037
- Report
- a routine report filed through CMH
- Where
- over LCK
- Time
- 05:04 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- MD83
- Sky
- B010 T037
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 44 nm north, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 537 nm along the route, 44 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- over RBS
- Time
- 04:52 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
- E170 at 22,500 ft, 42 nm northwest, 1:06 am EDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. At the destination end, 42 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
- Time
- 05:06 UTC
- Height
- at 22,500 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13
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 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 12 forecast points nearest it (RIC, EKN, CMH, CVG, IND, SPI, BRL, COU, MKC, SLN, GLD, PUB). 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 | 250° at 23 kt | +23 kt | 12 °C | 97 kt | 13 h 26 min | 1:59 pm MDT (19:59 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +22 kt | 15 °C | 98 kt | 13 h 18 min | 1:51 pm MDT (19:51 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +20 kt | 11 °C | 100 kt | 13 h 02 min | 1:35 pm MDT (19:35 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 270° at 15 kt | +16 kt | 8 °C | 104 kt | 12 h 32 min | 1:05 pm MDT (19:05 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 280° at 12 kt | +13 kt | 4 °C | 107 kt | 12 h 11 min | 12:44 pm MDT (18:44 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 15 kt | +16 kt | 0 °C | 104 kt | 12 h 32 min | 1:05 pm MDT (19:05 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | +18 kt | -4 °C | 102 kt | 12 h 46 min | 1:19 pm MDT (19:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 20 kt | +20 kt | -7 °C | 100 kt | 13 h 02 min | 1:35 pm MDT (19:35 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 25 kt | +26 kt | -20 °C | 94 kt | 13 h 52 min | 2:25 pm MDT (20:25 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 38 kt | +39 kt | -32 °C | 81 kt | 16 h 05 min | 4:38 pm MDT (22:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 47 kt | +48 kt | -39 °C | 72 kt | 18 h 06 min | 6:39 pm MDT (00:39 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 46 kt | +46 kt | -49 °C | 74 kt | 17 h 36 min | 6:09 pm MDT (00:09 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 104 nm from the line | 270/23 | 280/19 11° | 270/18 8° | 240/22 4° | 230/39 -7° | 220/55 -18° | 220/75 -30° | 230/83 -39° | 230/64 -50° |
| EKN | used from 50 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 330/21 12° | 330/25 7° | 350/22 2° | 330/24 -10° | 310/27 -21° | 320/33 -35° | 290/31 -39° | 290/34 -47° | |
| CMH | used from 199 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 330/15 | 340/22 14° | 340/24 9° | 340/23 4° | 340/35 -9° | 340/49 -20° | 340/58 -37° | 330/70 -42° | 340/55 -47° |
| CVG | used from 348 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| IND | used from 398 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| SPI | used from 547 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| BRL | used from 647 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| COU | used from 696 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| MKC | used from 746 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| SLN | used from 895 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GLD | used from 1044 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| PUB | used from 1243 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWI Baltimore, MD | departure | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet Weather: light rain | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 7 mi | 800 ft | 143 ft | 1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC) |
| MRB Martinsburg, WV | 60 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the north-northwest (330°) at 7 knots | 9 mi | 11,000 ft | 564 ft | 06:17 UTC |
| MGW Morgantown, WV | 149 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: mist | calm | 2.5 mi | 500 ft | 1,243 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| LCK Columbus, OH | 288 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 743 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 448 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots | 8 mi | none | 796 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 567 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| CHT Chillicothe, MO | 776 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 783 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 846 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| CNK Concordia, KS | 975 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR Weather: light rain | from the south (190°) at 17 knots, gusting to 25 | 10+ mi | none | 1,488 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| HLC Hill City, KS | 1074 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 2,238 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| ITR Burlington, CO | 1184 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,218 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a few clouds at 18,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,187 ft | 11:54 pm MDT (05:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,187 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At COS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:44 pm MDT (18:44 UTC)
Wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for COS
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for BWI, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, gusting to 16, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,400 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 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 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 7 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at BWI 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC), at COS 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 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: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, City Of Colorado Springs Municipal.