Columbia Metro Airport to Seattle-Tacoma International CAE → SEA
2,014 nautical miles (2,318 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 306°, about 313° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 18 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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 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 TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 90 to 160 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 628 to 847 nm out.
- 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 947 to 1635 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1366 to 1834 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1396 to 1486 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 1505 to 1844 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the route from 1685 to 1964 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 CAE.
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 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 19 forecast points nearest it (CAE, GSP, TYS, BNA, EVV, STL, COU, DSM, OMA, ONL, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL, DLN, LWS, GEG, 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 | 270° at 16 kt | +14 kt | 14 °C | 106 kt | 19 h | 1:58 am PDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 270° at 14 kt | +13 kt | 12 °C | 107 kt | 18 h 49 min | 1:47 am PDT (08:47 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 270° at 12 kt | +11 kt | 7 °C | 109 kt | 18 h 29 min | 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 4 °C | 109 kt | 18 h 29 min | 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +11 kt | 1 °C | 109 kt | 18 h 29 min | 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +11 kt | -4 °C | 109 kt | 18 h 29 min | 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +11 kt | -8 °C | 109 kt | 18 h 29 min | 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 14 kt | +11 kt | -11 °C | 109 kt | 18 h 29 min | 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 22 kt | +14 kt | -23 °C | 106 kt | 19 h | 1:58 am PDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 30 kt | +27 kt | -33 °C | 93 kt | 21 h 39 min | 4:37 am PDT (11:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -39 °C | 89 kt | 22 h 38 min | 5:36 am PDT (12:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 38 kt | +33 kt | -46 °C | 87 kt | 23 h 09 min | 6:07 am PDT (13:07 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAE | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 340/17 | 330/15 12° | 320/22 9° | 320/31 5° | 330/35 -7° | 320/33 -19° | 340/40 -32° | 350/43 -39° | 320/35 -49° |
| GSP | used from 50 nm out; 15 nm from the line | 340/30 | 360/24 13° | 350/29 10° | 340/33 6° | 340/40 -7° | 350/44 -19° | 340/59 -31° | 350/55 -41° | 300/29 -50° |
| TYS | used from 150 nm out; 11 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
| BNA | used from 249 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| EVV | used from 349 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 270/25 | 290/17 15° | 260/10 8° | 270/16 5° | 280/29 -6° | 280/33 -19° | 290/38 -33° | 300/53 -41° | 310/54 -51° |
| STL | used from 449 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/21 15° | 240/22 11° | 250/23 6° | 270/28 -7° | 260/30 -19° | 280/52 -31° | 280/57 -40° | 300/57 -49° |
| COU | used from 598 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 250/36 | 260/14 16° | 250/5 12° | 260/12 6° | 260/24 -7° | 260/35 -19° | 280/58 -31° | 280/62 -40° | 290/60 -49° |
| DSM | used from 698 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| OMA | used from 748 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| ONL | used from 897 nm out; 50 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° | |
| PIR | used from 1047 nm out; 87 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° | |
| RAP | used from 1097 nm out; 66 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° | |
| MLS | used from 1296 nm out; 113 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 1346 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| DLN | used from 1495 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 190/10 -4° | 220/23 -4° | 210/21 -18° | 210/43 -28° | 210/60 -33° | 210/72 -37° | 210/67 -44° | ||
| LWS | used from 1695 nm out; 73 nm from the line | L/V | 340/5 -3° | L/V -6° | 040/7 -10° | 100/23 -22° | 180/30 -31° | 190/11 -34° | 200/11 -36° | 220/23 -40° |
| GEG | used from 1844 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 060/7 -2° | 070/12 -6° | 050/8 -8° | 120/11 -21° | 110/18 -33° | 030/22 -37° | 040/6 -38° | 240/7 -41° | |
| YKM | used from 1894 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 360/6 | 360/11 -1° | 030/20 -7° | 040/21 -11° | 020/55 -18° | 010/84 -26° | 010/79 -40° | 010/45 -42° | 350/23 -42° |
| SEA | used from 1944 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 350/5 | 010/6 0° | 010/9 -4° | 010/27 -6° | 010/51 -15° | 360/58 -26° | 360/60 -41° | 350/55 -48° | 340/30 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAE Columbia, SC | departure | no report just now | 235 ft | ||||
| GYH Greenville, SC | 80 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 955 ft | ||||
| OWB Owensboro, KY | 369 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 407 ft | ||||
| BLV Belleville, IL | 508 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 459 ft | ||||
| RDK Red Oak, IA | 798 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,045 ft | ||||
| OMA Omaha, NE | 828 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 984 ft | ||||
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 1186 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,203 ft | ||||
| SHR Sheridan, WY | 1356 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 4,021 ft | ||||
| BZN Bozeman, MT | 1545 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,473 ft | ||||
| LWS Lewiston, ID | 1785 nm out, 24 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,442 ft | ||||
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 1894 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,188 ft | ||||
| SEA Seattle, WA | destination | no report just now | 432 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,473 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SEA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:27 am PDT (08:27 UTC)
SEA has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8927 Kalispell, MT, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 through Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, 1675 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZSE
- 6/8923 Kalispell, MT, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 through Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, 1675 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLC
Daylight
Sunset at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC), at SEA 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:56 pm PDT (01:56 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SEA is before sunrise there (7:24 am PDT (14:24 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: Columbia Metro Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International.