Houghton County Memorial to Lancaster Airport CMX → LNS
677 nautical miles (779 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 124°, about 126° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 53 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 54-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:58 am EDT (12:58 UTC). Right now CMX is IFR, wind from the east-northeast (060°) at 7 knots; LNS is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 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: 1 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 first 0 nm of the route.
- 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 80 to 269 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the last 388 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 507 to 647 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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 CMX.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (GRB, TVC, BUF, PSB, AVP). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 280° at 22 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 4 h 52 min | 9:57 am EDT (13:57 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 12 °C | 135 kt | 5 h 01 min | 10:06 am EDT (14:06 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | −16 kt | 11 °C | 136 kt | 4 h 59 min | 10:04 am EDT (14:04 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 17 kt | −18 kt | 7 °C | 138 kt | 4 h 54 min | 9:59 am EDT (13:59 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 300° at 20 kt | −20 kt | 4 °C | 140 kt | 4 h 50 min | 9:55 am EDT (13:55 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 22 kt | −22 kt | -1 °C | 142 kt | 4 h 46 min | 9:51 am EDT (13:51 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 23 kt | −24 kt | -5 °C | 144 kt | 4 h 42 min | 9:47 am EDT (13:47 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 25 kt | −26 kt | -10 °C | 146 kt | 4 h 38 min | 9:43 am EDT (13:43 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 26 kt | −26 kt | -11 °C | 146 kt | 4 h 38 min | 9:43 am EDT (13:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 33 kt | −33 kt | -21 °C | 153 kt | 4 h 25 min | 9:30 am EDT (13:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 36 kt | −37 kt | -37 °C | 157 kt | 4 h 19 min | 9:24 am EDT (13:24 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 46 kt | −47 kt | -46 °C | 167 kt | 4 h 03 min | 9:08 am EDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 53 kt | −54 kt | -51 °C | 174 kt | 3 h 53 min | 8:58 am EDT (12:58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRB | used from 0 nm out; 147 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/22 17° | 240/18 8° | 280/21 6° | 280/34 -11° | 280/35 -21° | 280/39 -37° | 270/52 -45° | 290/60 -49° |
| TVC | used from 50 nm out; 119 nm from the line | 270/31 | 280/23 15° | 260/22 8° | 260/29 4° | 280/29 -11° | 280/42 -21° | 270/42 -36° | 270/54 -47° | 290/67 -51° |
| BUF | used from 348 nm out; 121 nm from the line | 300/11 | 330/15 11° | 340/26 8° | 330/28 2° | 340/31 -10° | 340/32 -21° | 340/52 -37° | 340/59 -46° | 330/66 -53° |
| PSB | used from 498 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 020/21 12° | 360/28 7° | 360/29 1° | 350/33 -10° | 350/42 -22° | 350/49 -37° | 340/63 -43° | 350/39 -52° | |
| AVP | used from 647 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 010/20 | 020/24 11° | 360/19 8° | 350/23 2° | 320/24 -11° | 330/25 -22° | 330/27 -37° | 310/28 -42° | 290/30 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMX Hancock, MI | departure | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet | from the east-northeast (060°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 1,095 ft | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC) |
| SAW Marquette, MI | 70 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,204 ft | 08:58 UTC |
| SJX Beaver Island, MI | 149 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 669 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| APN Alpena, MI | 239 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 689 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| CYQS St Thomas, | 408 nm out, 23 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 776 ft | ||||
| JHW Jamestown, NY | 498 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, a broken layer at 1,700 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 1,723 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| UNV State College, PA | 597 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 1,100 feet, overcast at 2,800 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 2 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 1,231 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| MDT Harrisburg, PA | 657 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,300 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 310 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| LNS Lancaster, PA | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 402 ft | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,723 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LNS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:58 am EDT (12:58 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for LNS
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
The forecast for CMX, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 500 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8665 9NM E HERMAN, MI, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 14 nm from the route, 30 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZMP
- 6/8771 NW NEGAUNEE, MI, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Thursday, October 15, 2026 UTC 3 nm from the route, 50 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 15 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at CMX 7:12 pm EDT (23:12 UTC), at LNS 6:30 pm EDT (22:30 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 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: Houghton County Memorial, Lancaster Airport.