Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall to William P Hobby Airport BWI → HOU
1,082 nautical miles (1,245 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 244°, about 255° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 9 h 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 2-knot headwind), arriving about 10:24 am CDT (15:24 UTC). 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: 2,926 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 556 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 129 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 99 to 447 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 119 to 248 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 288 to 288 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 BWI.
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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (RIC, EKN, ROA, TRI, TYS, HSV, BHM, JAN, LCH, HOU). 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 | 300° at 11 kt | +5 kt | 11 °C | 115 kt | 9 h 25 min | 10:39 am CDT (15:39 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 310° at 12 kt | +4 kt | 14 °C | 116 kt | 9 h 20 min | 10:34 am CDT (15:34 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | +4 kt | 11 °C | 116 kt | 9 h 20 min | 10:34 am CDT (15:34 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 16 kt | +3 kt | 7 °C | 117 kt | 9 h 15 min | 10:29 am CDT (15:29 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 17 kt | +2 kt | 4 °C | 118 kt | 9 h 10 min | 10:24 am CDT (15:24 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | +4 kt | 0 °C | 116 kt | 9 h 20 min | 10:34 am CDT (15:34 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | +6 kt | -3 °C | 114 kt | 9 h 29 min | 10:43 am CDT (15:43 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 21 kt | +8 kt | -6 °C | 112 kt | 9 h 40 min | 10:54 am CDT (15:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 23 kt | +10 kt | -17 °C | 110 kt | 9 h 50 min | 11:04 am CDT (16:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 34 kt | +12 kt | -32 °C | 108 kt | 10 h 01 min | 11:15 am CDT (16:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 38 kt | +13 kt | -40 °C | 107 kt | 10 h 07 min | 11:21 am CDT (16:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 33 kt | +8 kt | -50 °C | 112 kt | 9 h 40 min | 10:54 am CDT (15:54 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; 90 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 99 nm out; 55 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° | |
| ROA | used from 149 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
| TRI | used from 248 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| TYS | used from 347 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| HSV | used from 496 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| BHM | used from 595 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/20 17° | 320/28 11° | 340/21 6° | 310/22 -7° | 330/33 -17° | 330/50 -32° | 330/57 -41° | 330/41 -50° |
| JAN | used from 695 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/10 | 270/13 18° | 270/11 12° | 310/11 6° | 300/15 -4° | 300/22 -16° | 310/33 -31° | 320/37 -41° | 330/41 -52° |
| LCH | used from 893 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 160/21 | 160/18 18° | 180/13 12° | 230/6 8° | 280/10 -4° | 260/13 -14° | 310/29 -30° | 320/32 -40° | 330/33 -53° |
| HOU | used from 1042 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 160/22 | 150/27 19° | 180/16 14° | 250/7 9° | 270/10 -5° | 270/16 -13° | 310/23 -29° | 310/26 -40° | 330/20 -52° |
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 | no report just now | 143 ft | ||||
| IAD Washington, DC | 40 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 312 ft | ||||
| LWB Lewisburg, WV | 189 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,301 ft | ||||
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 318 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,518 ft | ||||
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 407 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 986 ft | ||||
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 476 nm out, 20 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 682 ft | ||||
| HSV Huntsville, AL | 556 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 628 ft | ||||
| GTR Columbus/W Point/Starkville, MS | 675 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 264 ft | ||||
| HKS Jackson, MS | 774 nm out, 20 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 341 ft | ||||
| AEX Alexandria, LA | 913 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 88 ft | ||||
| BPT Beaumont/Port Arthur, TX | 1022 nm out, 25 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 14 ft | ||||
| HOU Houston, TX | destination | no report just now | 46 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,301 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HOU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:24 am CDT (15:24 UTC)
HOU has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 on the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 2 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 HOU 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 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, William P Hobby Airport.