Plan a flight · Sun 11:29 pm EDT (03:29 UTC)

Cleveland-Hopkins International to Chicago Midway International CLE → MDW

266 nautical miles (306 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 277°, about 285° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 12:50 am CDT (05:50 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CLE is marginal VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 3 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 5 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: 2,209 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 226 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 CLE.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

A320 at 33,000 ft, 38 nm north, 8:36 pm EDT (00:36 UTC): moderate turbulence above 33,000 ft, remarks: zob. 148 nm along the route, 38 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
JXN UA /OV JXN280030/TM 0036/FL330/TP A320/TB OCNL MOD 330/RM ZOB
```
Report
a routine report filed through JXN
Where
30 nm west (280°) of JXN
Time
00:36 UTC
Height
at 33,000 ft
Aircraft
A320
Turbulence
occasional moderate at 33,000 ft
Remarks
zob
CRJ7 descending, 35 nm southeast, 9:17 pm EDT (01:17 UTC): remarks: bases 2,000 ft. At the departure end, 35 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CAK UA /OV CAK/TM 0117/FLDURD/TP CRJ7/RM BASES 020
```
Report
a routine report filed through CAK
Where
over CAK
Time
01:17 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ7
Remarks
bases 2,000 ft
CRJ7 at 600 ft, 41 nm north, 10:07 pm EDT (02:07 UTC): a broken layer above 1,500 ft. 69 nm along the route, 41 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0207/FLSFC/TP CRJ7/SK BKN 015
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
02:07 UTC
Height
at the surface
Aircraft
CRJ7
Sky
a broken layer from 1,500 ft
CRJ7 descending, 41 nm north, 9:01 pm EDT (01:01 UTC): overcast above 2,800 ft. 69 nm along the route, 41 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV FINAL 3R /TM 0101/FLDURD/TP CRJ7/SK OVC 028
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
final 3R
Time
01:01 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ7
Sky
overcast from 2,800 ft
PA44 descending, 2 nm north, 10:27 pm EDT (02:27 UTC): a broken layer from 900 ft to 1,500 ft; a broken layer from 2,600 ft to 3,500 ft, fog. 89 nm along the route, 2 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV TOL/TM 0227/FLDURD/TP PA44/SK BKN009 TOPS015 BKN026 TOPS035/WX FG
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over TOL
Time
02:27 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
PA44
Sky
BKN009 TOPS015 BKN026 TOPS035
Weather
fog
C525 descending, 2 nm north, 9:41 pm EDT (01:41 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 89 nm along the route, 2 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV TOL/TM 0141/FLDURD/TP C525/SK TOPS035 BKN010/WX 2SM
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over TOL
Time
01:41 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
C525
Sky
TOPS035 BKN010
Weather
2SM
E170 at 21,000 ft, 50 nm north, 9:07 pm EDT (01:07 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: during the climb zob. 128 nm along the route, 50 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LAN UA /OV LAN180020/TM 0107/FL210/TP E170/TB LGHT CHOP/RM DURC ZOB
```
Report
a routine report filed through LAN
Where
20 nm south (180°) of LAN
Time
01:07 UTC
Height
at 21,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
lght chop
Remarks
during the climb zob

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 3 forecast points nearest it (CLE, FWA, 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
4,500 ft	310° at 13 kt	+11 kt		109 kt	2 h 26 min	12:55 am CDT (05:55 UTC)
6,500 ft	320° at 15 kt	+10 kt	14 °C	110 kt	2 h 25 min	12:54 am CDT (05:54 UTC)
8,500 ft	320° at 15 kt	+10 kt	10 °C	110 kt	2 h 25 min	12:54 am CDT (05:54 UTC)
10,500 ft	330° at 13 kt	+8 kt	6 °C	112 kt	2 h 22 min	12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC)
12,500 ft	330° at 13 kt	+7 kt	2 °C	113 kt	2 h 21 min	12:50 am CDT (05:50 UTC)
14,500 ft	320° at 17 kt	+12 kt	-2 °C	108 kt	2 h 28 min	12:57 am CDT (05:57 UTC)
16,500 ft	320° at 22 kt	+16 kt	-5 °C	104 kt	2 h 33 min	1:02 am CDT (06:02 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	320° at 25 kt	+19 kt	-8 °C	101 kt	2 h 38 min	1:07 am CDT (06:07 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 35 kt	+25 kt	-20 °C	95 kt	2 h 48 min	1:17 am CDT (06:17 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	330° at 45 kt	+27 kt	-36 °C	93 kt	2 h 52 min	1:21 am CDT (06:21 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 58 kt	+40 kt	-43 °C	80 kt	3 h 20 min	1:49 am CDT (06:49 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	330° at 60 kt	+38 kt	-50 °C	82 kt	3 h 15 min	1:44 am CDT (06:44 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
CLE	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	340/7	010/16 13°	350/18 8°	350/20 3°	340/31 -10°	340/46 -21°	340/54 -37°	330/62 -44°	340/65 -49°
FWA	used from 98 nm out; 48 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°
JOT	used from 197 nm out; 65 nm from the line	250/23	270/22 15°	250/16 10°	240/9 4°	280/22 -7°	280/29 -19°	300/29 -34°	290/50 -43°	300/64 -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
CLE Cleveland, OH	departure	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,400 feet	from the west (280°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	2,400 ft	799 ft	10:51 pm EDT (02:51 UTC)
CYPT Pelee Island,	39 nm out, 18 nm north of the line	no report just now				571 ft
PCW Port Clinton, OH	49 nm out, 3 nm east of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,700 feet	calm	10+ mi	1,700 ft	590 ft	03:15 UTC
TOL Toledo, OH	89 nm out, 1 nm north of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist	from the west-northwest (290°) at 3 knots	5 mi	400 ft	683 ft	02:52 UTC
ANQ Angola, IN	148 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line	reported, no category	calm	0.25 mi	none	995 ft	03:15 UTC
EKM Elkhart, IN	187 nm out, 1 nm north of the line, tower	IFR Weather: mist	calm	1 mi	none	777 ft	03:15 UTC
GYY Gary/Chicago, IN	246 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	variable at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	596 ft	02:50 UTC
MDW Chicago, IL	destination	VFR	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	619 ft	9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 995 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, 12:50 am CDT (05:50 UTC)

Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 30,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MDW

From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 30,000 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

The forecast for CLE, the departure

From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 3 knots, visibility 5 miles, light drizzle, overcast at 700 feet
From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB

Daylight

Sunset at CLE 6:51 pm EDT (22:51 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MDW is before sunrise there (6:59 am CDT (11:59 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

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Cleveland-Hopkins International, Chicago Midway International.