Des Moines International to Denver International DSM → DEN
511 nautical miles (588 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 262°, about 261° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 21-knot headwind), arriving about 4:41 am MDT (10:41 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 10 knots; DEN is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 23 knots, gusting to 29. 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: 4,640 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 3W: 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 422 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the last 108 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 69 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 DSM.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B738 at 23,000 ft, 28 nm west, 9:34 pm CDT (02:34 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: during the climb ZDVWC-05. At the destination end, 28 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DVV270030/TM 0234/FL230/TP B738/TB MOD /RM DURC ZDVWC-05
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 30 nm west (270°) of DVV
- Time
- 02:34 UTC
- Height
- at 23,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- during the climb ZDVWC-05
- A320 descending, 3 nm south, 10:19 pm CDT (03:19 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the destination end, 3 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0319/FLDURD/TP A320/TB NEG BLO 100
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 03:19 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- no below 10,000 ft
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 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 (DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, DEN). 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 41 kt | +36 kt | 21 °C | 84 kt | 6 h 05 min | 5:36 am MDT (11:36 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 37 kt | +33 kt | 19 °C | 87 kt | 5 h 52 min | 5:23 am MDT (11:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +26 kt | 13 °C | 94 kt | 5 h 26 min | 4:57 am MDT (10:57 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +22 kt | 10 °C | 98 kt | 5 h 13 min | 4:44 am MDT (10:44 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +21 kt | 6 °C | 99 kt | 5 h 10 min | 4:41 am MDT (10:41 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +23 kt | 1 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 16 min | 4:47 am MDT (10:47 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +24 kt | -4 °C | 96 kt | 5 h 19 min | 4:50 am MDT (10:50 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -8 °C | 95 kt | 5 h 23 min | 4:54 am MDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 34 kt | +32 kt | -20 °C | 88 kt | 5 h 48 min | 5:19 am MDT (11:19 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 52 kt | +51 kt | -32 °C | 69 kt | 7 h 24 min | 6:55 am MDT (12:55 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 58 kt | +58 kt | -37 °C | 62 kt | 8 h 15 min | 7:46 am MDT (13:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 57 kt | +57 kt | -48 °C | 63 kt | 8 h 07 min | 7:38 am MDT (13:38 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSM | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| OMA | used from 49 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| GRI | used from 147 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| GLD | used from 295 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| DEN | used from 442 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSM Des Moines, IA | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 957 ft | 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC) |
| GFZ Greenfield, IA | 39 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,363 ft | ||||
| OMA Omaha, NE | 98 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 984 ft | 04:52 UTC |
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 147 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 04:54 UTC |
| AUH Aurora, NE | 196 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots, gusting to 14 | 10+ mi | none | 1,803 ft | 05:15 UTC |
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 216 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,847 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| LXN Lexington, NE | 275 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,412 ft | 05:15 UTC |
| MCK Mc Cook, NE | 324 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 2,582 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| IML Imperial, NE | 363 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,276 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| AKO Akron, CO | 442 nm out, 2 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 14 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 4,716 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| FMM Fort Morgan, CO | 462 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 4,595 ft | 05:15 UTC |
| DEN Denver, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 22,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 23 knots, gusting to 29 | 10+ mi | none | 5,433 ft | 10:53 pm MDT (04:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,433 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:41 am MDT (10:41 UTC)
Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DEN
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 14,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet
- At times between Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 25 knots, gusting to 37
- From Mon 1:00 am MDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for DSM, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC), at DEN 6:24 pm MDT (00:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm MDT (00:51 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DEN is before sunrise there (7:05 am MDT (13:05 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: Des Moines International, Denver International.