Columbia Regional to William P Hobby Airport COU → HOU
571 nautical miles (657 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 196°, about 196° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 14 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 15-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:22 pm CDT (17:22 UTC). Right now COU is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 5 knots; HOU is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) 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 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 first 167 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 COU.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- SR22 at 6,000 ft, 26 nm east, 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZFW83. 286 nm along the route, 26 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
TXK UA /OV TXK040050/TM 1250/FL060/TP SR22/TB NEG/RM ZFW83
- Report
- a routine report filed through TXK
- Where
- 50 nm northeast (040°) of TXK
- Time
- 12:50 UTC
- Height
- at 6,000 ft
- Aircraft
- SR22
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZFW83
- A321 , 41 nm east, 7:03 am CDT (12:03 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZFW86. 394 nm along the route, 41 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
SHV UA /OV EMG/TM 1203/FLB38M/TP A321/TB OCNL LGT CHOP DURC/RM ZFW86
- Report
- a routine report filed through SHV
- Where
- over EMG
- Time
- 12:03 UTC
- Height
- at B38M
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop during the climb
- Remarks
- ZFW86
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 3 nm east, 7:53 am CDT (12:53 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZFW89. 433 nm along the route, 3 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
GGG UA /OV GGG155035/TM 1253/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZFW89
- Report
- a routine report filed through GGG
- Where
- 35 nm southeast (155°) of GGG
- Time
- 12:53 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop
- Remarks
- ZFW89
- F2TH at 18,000 ft, 32 nm west, 7:20 am CDT (12:20 UTC): no turbulence from 17,300 ft to 29,000 ft, remarks: zhu. 512 nm along the route, 32 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
UTS UA /OV KLOA30035-KLOA190020/TM 1220/FL180/TP F2TH/TB NEG 290-173/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through UTS
- Where
- KLOA30035-KLOA190020
- Time
- 12:20 UTC
- Height
- at 18,000 ft
- Aircraft
- F2TH
- Turbulence
- no from 29,000 ft to 17,300 ft
- Remarks
- zhu
- B738 at 18,000 ft, 32 nm west, 6:59 am CDT (11:59 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: zhu. 512 nm along the route, 32 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
UTS UA /OV KLOA155020/TM 1159/FL180/TP B738/TB LGT CHOPN 180-230/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through UTS
- Where
- 20 nm southeast (155°) of KLOA
- Time
- 11:59 UTC
- Height
- at 18,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- light chopn from 18,000 ft to 23,000 ft
- Remarks
- zhu
- B36M at 18,000 ft, 19 nm northwest, 7:24 am CDT (12:24 UTC): light clear-air turbulence, remarks: zhu. 522 nm along the route, 19 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV KIAH355035/TM 1224/FL180/TP B36M/TB LGT CAT/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- 35 nm north (355°) of KIAH
- Time
- 12:24 UTC
- Height
- at 18,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B36M
- Turbulence
- light clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zhu
- A21N at 32,000 ft, 9 nm west, 7:04 am CDT (12:04 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 9 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV KDAS134010/TM 1204/FL320/TP A21N/TB NEG/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- 10 nm southeast (134°) of KDAS
- Time
- 12:04 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- zhu
- C525 at 22,000 ft, 43 nm west, 7:40 am CDT (12:40 UTC): light rime icing, -12 °C, remarks: during the climb from 19,000 ft to 24,000 ft zhu. At the destination end, 43 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV IAH270035/TM 1240/FL220/TP C525/TA M12/IC LGT RIME/RM DURC 190-240 ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- 35 nm west (270°) of IAH
- Time
- 12:40 UTC
- Height
- at 22,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C525
- Temperature
- −12 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- during the climb from 19,000 ft to 24,000 ft zhu
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 5 forecast points nearest it (COU, SGF, FSM, SHV, 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 | 230° at 22 kt | +19 kt | 101 kt | 5 h 39 min | 1:47 pm CDT (18:47 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 17 kt | +14 kt | 16 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 23 min | 1:31 pm CDT (18:31 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 16 kt | +13 kt | 13 °C | 107 kt | 5 h 20 min | 1:28 pm CDT (18:28 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +11 kt | 10 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 14 min | 1:22 pm CDT (18:22 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | +10 kt | 6 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 11 min | 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +10 kt | 1 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 11 min | 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +10 kt | -4 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 11 min | 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 18 kt | +10 kt | -7 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 11 min | 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 22 kt | +12 kt | -16 °C | 108 kt | 5 h 17 min | 1:25 pm CDT (18:25 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 42 kt | −1 kt | -30 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 43 min | 12:51 pm CDT (17:51 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 42 kt | −4 kt | -40 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 36 min | 12:44 pm CDT (17:44 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 41 kt | −15 kt | -51 °C | 135 kt | 4 h 14 min | 12:22 pm CDT (17:22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COU | used from 0 nm out; 25 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° |
| SGF | used from 49 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 230/37 | 260/20 15° | 250/16 13° | 250/15 8° | 260/28 -7° | 250/31 -17° | 280/59 -31° | 280/59 -39° | 290/55 -50° |
| FSM | used from 148 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 230/33 | 260/23 15° | 240/23 11° | 230/18 8° | 230/20 -8° | 250/31 -17° | 280/51 -30° | 280/52 -39° | 300/47 -51° |
| SHV | used from 295 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 210/20 | 210/20 18° | 230/20 11° | 240/16 7° | 270/17 -7° | 250/11 -15° | 300/34 -30° | 310/34 -40° | 320/36 -51° |
| HOU | used from 492 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 180/22 | 180/20 16° | 170/7 15° | L/V 8° | 220/11 -6° | 260/15 -13° | 310/20 -30° | 320/20 -40° | 350/32 -51° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COU Columbia, MO | departure | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 7:54 am CDT (12:54 UTC) |
| AIZ Kaiser/Lake Ozark, MO | 49 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 12:56 UTC |
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 59 nm out, 22 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,159 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| BBG Branson, MO | 148 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,302 ft | 11:45 UTC |
| RUE Russellville, AR | 217 nm out, 19 nm east of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 409 ft | 12:53 UTC |
| MEZ Mena, AR | 276 nm out, 23 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,079 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| TXK Texarkana, AR | 335 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 389 ft | 12:53 UTC |
| ATA Atlanta, TX | 355 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | no report just now | 280 ft | ||||
| GGG Longview, TX | 404 nm out, 14 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 365 ft | 12:53 UTC |
| LFK Lufkin, TX | 473 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 295 ft | 12:53 UTC |
| IAH Houston, TX | 551 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,600 feet, overcast at 24,000 feet | from the east (090°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 95 ft | 12:53 UTC |
| HOU Houston, TX | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 23,000 feet | from the east-southeast (120°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 23,000 ft | 46 ft | 7:53 am CDT (12:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,302 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, 12:22 pm CDT (17:22 UTC)
Wind from the southeast at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR
30% chance between Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) and 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): light rain showers
The whole forecast for HOU
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) and 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): light rain showers
- From Mon 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
The forecast for COU, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, at the departure end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at COU 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 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: Columbia Regional, William P Hobby Airport.