Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport to Norfolk International DCA → ORF
124 nautical miles (143 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 161°, about 172° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (17,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 10:52 pm EDT (02:52 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DCA is low IFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 9 knots; ORF is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 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: 2,038 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
- SIGMET 3E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 10:55 pm EDT (02:55 UTC). Over the route from 29 to 29 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120055 MKCE WST 120055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 3E VALID UNTIL 0255Z PA MD VA NC WV OH KY FROM 20NE APE-30SE JST-30SSE DCA-40SW ECG-70NNW HMV-20NE APE AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- 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 48 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 19 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 DCA.
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 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 2 forecast points nearest it (RIC, ORF). 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 | 200° at 35 kt | +28 kt | 92 kt | 1 h 21 min | 11:01 pm EDT (03:01 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 32 kt | +25 kt | 95 kt | 1 h 18 min | 10:58 pm EDT (02:58 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 32 kt | +23 kt | 13 °C | 97 kt | 1 h 17 min | 10:57 pm EDT (02:57 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 34 kt | +22 kt | 11 °C | 98 kt | 1 h 16 min | 10:56 pm EDT (02:56 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 37 kt | +23 kt | 7 °C | 97 kt | 1 h 17 min | 10:57 pm EDT (02:57 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 39 kt | +22 kt | 3 °C | 98 kt | 1 h 16 min | 10:56 pm EDT (02:56 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 41 kt | +19 kt | -2 °C | 101 kt | 1 h 14 min | 10:54 pm EDT (02:54 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 44 kt | +17 kt | -6 °C | 103 kt | 1 h 12 min | 10:52 pm EDT (02:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 45 kt | +16 kt | -7 °C | 104 kt | 1 h 12 min | 10:52 pm EDT (02:52 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 67 kt | +24 kt | -16 °C | 96 kt | 1 h 18 min | 10:58 pm EDT (02:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 81 kt | +42 kt | -29 °C | 78 kt | 1 h 35 min | 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 83 kt | +43 kt | -40 °C | 77 kt | 1 h 37 min | 11:17 pm EDT (03:17 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 79 kt | +41 kt | -52 °C | 79 kt | 1 h 34 min | 11:14 pm EDT (03:14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 190/33 | 200/29 14° | 210/31 12° | 210/38 6° | 230/42 -7° | 230/68 -16° | 220/84 -29° | 220/86 -40° | 220/81 -52° |
| ORF | used from 95 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 210/45 | 210/41 15° | 210/39 13° | 220/37 7° | 230/55 -5° | 230/65 -16° | 220/71 -30° | 220/75 -40° | 220/72 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCA Washington, DC | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the north-northeast (030°) at 9 knots | 6 mi | 400 ft | 14 ft | 8:52 pm EDT (00:52 UTC) |
| XSA Tappahannock, VA | 57 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | calm | 500 ft | 135 ft | 23:35 UTC | |
| PHF Newport News, VA | 105 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 42 ft | 00:54 UTC |
| ORF Norfolk, VA | destination | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 8:51 pm EDT (00:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 135 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ORF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:52 pm EDT (02:52 UTC)
Wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 2,000 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for ORF
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
The forecast for DCA, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 9 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 700 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 5 knots, visibility 2 miles, rain showers, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north at 7 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC), at ORF 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm EDT (22:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORF is after sunset there (6:34 pm EDT (22:34 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: Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport, Norfolk International.