Plan a flight · Sun 7:47 pm CDT (00:47 UTC)

Columbia Regional to Blue Grass Airport COU → LEX

361 nautical miles (415 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 095°, about 095° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 39-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now COU is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots; LEX is marginal VFR, wind from the west (270°) 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). 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 COU.

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

B38M at 23,700 ft, 37 nm north, 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC): light turbulence. 224 nm along the route, 37 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV TTH190030/TM 2351/FL237/TP B38M/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
30 nm south (190°) of TTH
Time
23:51 UTC
Height
at 23,700 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
light
E170 climbing, 5 nm east, 5:26 pm CDT (22:26 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 302 nm along the route, 5 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
SDF UA /OV SDF/TM 2226/FLDURC/TP E170/SK B022 T036
```
Report
a routine report filed through SDF
Where
over SDF
Time
22:26 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
E170
Sky
B022 T036
M600 at 1,800 ft, 4 nm northwest, 5:12 pm CDT (22:12 UTC): overcast above 1,800 ft. 312 nm along the route, 4 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LOU UA /OV DURD/TM 2212/FL018/TP M600/SK OVC018-TOPO37
```
Report
a routine report filed through LOU
Where
over DURD
Time
22:12 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
M600
Sky
OVC018-TOPO37
CRJ9 descending, 0 nm south, 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 UTC): overcast up to 6,200 ft; overcast above 1,800 ft. At the destination end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV LEX/TM 2343/FLDURD/TP CRJ9/SK TOPS OVC062 BASES OVC018
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
over LEX
Time
23:43 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
tops OVC062 bases OVC018

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (COU, STL, EVV, LOU). 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	290° at 9 kt	−10 kt		130 kt	2 h 47 min	11:34 pm EDT (03:34 UTC)
5,500 ft	310° at 14 kt	−12 kt		132 kt	2 h 44 min	11:31 pm EDT (03:31 UTC)
7,500 ft	310° at 19 kt	−16 kt	13 °C	136 kt	2 h 39 min	11:26 pm EDT (03:26 UTC)
9,500 ft	310° at 22 kt	−20 kt	9 °C	140 kt	2 h 35 min	11:22 pm EDT (03:22 UTC)
11,500 ft	310° at 25 kt	−20 kt	6 °C	140 kt	2 h 35 min	11:22 pm EDT (03:22 UTC)
13,500 ft	320° at 26 kt	−20 kt	2 °C	140 kt	2 h 35 min	11:22 pm EDT (03:22 UTC)
15,500 ft	320° at 26 kt	−19 kt	-3 °C	139 kt	2 h 36 min	11:23 pm EDT (03:23 UTC)
17,500 ft	320° at 27 kt	−18 kt	-7 °C	138 kt	2 h 37 min	11:24 pm EDT (03:24 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	330° at 27 kt	−18 kt	-8 °C	138 kt	2 h 37 min	11:24 pm EDT (03:24 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	330° at 31 kt	−18 kt	-19 °C	138 kt	2 h 37 min	11:24 pm EDT (03:24 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 45 kt	−32 kt	-34 °C	152 kt	2 h 22 min	11:09 pm EDT (03:09 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 51 kt	−39 kt	-41 °C	159 kt	2 h 16 min	11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	320° at 49 kt	−37 kt	-49 °C	157 kt	2 h 18 min	11:05 pm EDT (03:05 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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; 24 nm from the line	210/16	220/19 15°	240/33 10°	250/29 7°	280/21 -6°	280/19 -18°	300/34 -31°	300/40 -42°	300/60 -52°
STL	used from 49 nm out; 14 nm from the line	210/13	260/16 17°	270/21 10°	280/24 5°	310/20 -7°	320/22 -18°	320/44 -33°	320/59 -43°	310/69 -51°
EVV	used from 146 nm out; 58 nm from the line	310/13	340/26 16°	330/29 10°	330/32 4°	330/30 -9°	340/38 -20°	330/60 -35°	320/57 -41°	330/39 -48°
LOU	used from 244 nm out; 42 nm from the line	320/15	340/24 14°	330/28 9°	340/34 4°	340/37 -9°	340/42 -20°	320/39 -35°	320/45 -39°	330/40 -47°

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 southwest (220°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	889 ft	6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC)
MYJ Mexico, MO	20 nm out, 22 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	822 ft	23:35 UTC
SUS St Louis, MO	78 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	463 ft	23:54 UTC
CPS Cahokia/St Louis, IL	98 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	412 ft	23:53 UTC
ENL Centralia, IL	146 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	534 ft	00:35 UTC
FWC Fairfield, IL	176 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	434 ft	00:35 UTC
EVV Evansville, IN	224 nm out, 21 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	421 ft	23:54 UTC
HNB Huntingburg, IN	254 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	529 ft	23:56 UTC
LOU Louisville, KY	312 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 3,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	3,000 ft	545 ft	00:09 UTC
FFT Frankfort, KY	341 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line	reported, no category	calm		none	812 ft	23:53 UTC
LEX Lexington, KY	destination	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,500 feet	from the west (270°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	1,500 ft	979 ft	8:31 pm EDT (00:31 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 979 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At LEX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC)

Wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for LEX

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 3 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ¼ mile, fog, overcast at 100 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for COU, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, 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 LEX 7:05 pm EDT (23:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:31 pm EDT (23:31 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LEX is after sunset there (7:06 pm EDT (23:06 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 upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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: Columbia Regional, Blue Grass Airport.