Plan a flight · Sun 8:39 pm CDT (01:39 UTC)

Columbia Regional to Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport COU → TCL

404 nautical miles (464 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 145°, about 145° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 55-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:58 pm CDT (03:58 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now COU is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 4 knots; TCL is VFR, wind calm. 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: 4 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

No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.

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

BE40 at 29,000 ft, 25 nm northeast, 6:22 pm CDT (23:22 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 26,000 ft to 29,000 ft, remarks: zme. 305 nm along the route, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TUP UA /OV TUP045041/TM 2322/FL290/TP BE40/TB OCNL MOD CHOP 290-260/RM ZME
```
Report
a routine report filed through TUP
Where
41 nm northeast (045°) of TUP
Time
23:22 UTC
Height
at 29,000 ft
Aircraft
BE40
Turbulence
occasional moderate chop from 29,000 ft to 26,000 ft
Remarks
zme
BCS3 at 35,000 ft, 20 nm northeast, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 217 nm along the route, 20 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DYR UA /OV DYR/TM 0013/FL350/TP BCS3/TB NEG/RM ZME33
```
Report
a routine report filed through DYR
Where
over DYR
Time
00:13 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
BCS3
Turbulence
none
Remarks
ZME33
A319 at 39,000 ft, 40 nm southwest, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. 246 nm along the route, 40 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through MEM
Where
over MEM
Time
23:11 UTC
Height
at 39,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Turbulence
no chop
Remarks
smooth
B712 at 30,000 ft, 25 nm southwest, 6:09 pm CDT (23:09 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME46. At the destination end, 25 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CBM UA /OV IGB135050/TM 2309/FL300/TP B712/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZME46
```
Report
a routine report filed through CBM
Where
50 nm southeast (135°) of IGB
Time
23:09 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
B712
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
ZME46
A21N at 34,000 ft, 25 nm southwest, 6:05 pm CDT (23:05 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZME46. At the destination end, 25 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CBM UA /OV IGB135050/TM 2305/FL340/TP A21N/TB LGT-MOD CHOP/RM ZME46
```
Report
a routine report filed through CBM
Where
50 nm southeast (135°) of IGB
Time
23:05 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
light to moderate chop
Remarks
ZME46
UAL1770 at 34,000 ft, 47 nm southwest, 5:55 pm CDT (22:55 UTC): light chop turbulence, wind 349° at 61 knots. At the destination end, 47 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL1770 3230N 08800W 2255 F340 349/061KT TB CONT LGT CHOP CONT LGT TURB IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP

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 5 forecast points nearest it (COU, STL, CGI, MEM, BHM). 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	250° at 10 kt	−3 kt		123 kt	3 h 17 min	11:56 pm CDT (04:56 UTC)
5,500 ft	280° at 13 kt	−9 kt		129 kt	3 h 08 min	11:47 pm CDT (04:47 UTC)
7,500 ft	280° at 18 kt	−13 kt	14 °C	133 kt	3 h 02 min	11:41 pm CDT (04:41 UTC)
9,500 ft	290° at 22 kt	−17 kt	10 °C	137 kt	2 h 57 min	11:36 pm CDT (04:36 UTC)
11,500 ft	290° at 24 kt	−20 kt	6 °C	140 kt	2 h 53 min	11:32 pm CDT (04:32 UTC)
13,500 ft	300° at 24 kt	−21 kt	2 °C	141 kt	2 h 52 min	11:31 pm CDT (04:31 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 24 kt	−23 kt	-2 °C	143 kt	2 h 50 min	11:29 pm CDT (04:29 UTC)
17,500 ft	310° at 24 kt	−24 kt	-6 °C	144 kt	2 h 48 min	11:27 pm CDT (04:27 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 25 kt	−24 kt	-7 °C	144 kt	2 h 48 min	11:27 pm CDT (04:27 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 27 kt	−27 kt	-18 °C	147 kt	2 h 45 min	11:24 pm CDT (04:24 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 47 kt	−47 kt	-33 °C	167 kt	2 h 25 min	11:04 pm CDT (04:04 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 55 kt	−55 kt	-42 °C	175 kt	2 h 19 min	10:58 pm CDT (03:58 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	320° at 49 kt	−48 kt	-50 °C	168 kt	2 h 24 min	11:03 pm CDT (04:03 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; 25 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; 72 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°
CGI	used from 98 nm out; 56 nm from the line	250/10	290/12 17°	290/18 11°	300/22 5°	320/25 -8°	330/30 -18°	320/53 -33°	320/66 -42°	320/56 -50°
MEM	used from 197 nm out; 47 nm from the line	240/9	280/14 17°	280/20 12°	290/25 5°	320/25 -6°	330/31 -18°	320/52 -32°	330/58 -41°	320/42 -50°
BHM	used from 345 nm out; 62 nm from the line	300/16	330/32 16°	320/37 11°	330/37 6°	310/33 -7°	310/30 -18°	320/40 -34°	330/43 -41°	330/30 -49°

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 (180°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	889 ft	7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC)
UBX Cuba, MO	59 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line	no report just now				1,023 ft
PYN Piedmont, MO	128 nm out, 4 nm north of the line	no report just now				466 ft
TKX Kennett, MO	187 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	261 ft	23:35 UTC
NQA Millington, TN	236 nm out, 24 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	322 ft	23:50 UTC
MKL Jackson, TN	246 nm out, 23 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	434 ft	00:53 UTC
TUP Tupelo, MS	315 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	346 ft	00:53 UTC
HAB Hamilton, AL	345 nm out, 13 nm east of the line	no report just now				436 ft
UBS Columbus, MS	374 nm out, 25 nm southwest of the line	no report just now				188 ft
TCL Tuscaloosa, AL	destination	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	169 ft	7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,023 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At TCL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:58 pm CDT (03:58 UTC)

Wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for TCL

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) and 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, mist
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 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 TCL 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at TCL is before sunrise there (6:52 am CDT (11:52 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 lower 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: Columbia Regional, Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport.