Des Moines International to Tampa International DSM → TPA
980 nautical miles (1,128 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 143°, about 142° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:56 pm EDT (20:56 UTC). Right now DSM is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21; TPA is VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19. 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). Near the route, 130 nm along 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
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 12 forecast points nearest it (DSM, BRL, COU, STL, CGI, BNA, HSV, BHM, MGM, CSG, TLH, PIE). 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 | 280° at 13 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 7 h 32 min | 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 290° at 12 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 7 h 36 min | 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 280° at 13 kt | −10 kt | 14 °C | 130 kt | 7 h 32 min | 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 280° at 16 kt | −12 kt | 11 °C | 132 kt | 7 h 25 min | 6:25 pm EDT (22:25 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −13 kt | 7 °C | 133 kt | 7 h 22 min | 6:22 pm EDT (22:22 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | −13 kt | 3 °C | 133 kt | 7 h 22 min | 6:22 pm EDT (22:22 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −14 kt | -1 °C | 134 kt | 7 h 19 min | 6:19 pm EDT (22:19 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 18 kt | −14 kt | -5 °C | 134 kt | 7 h 19 min | 6:19 pm EDT (22:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 17 kt | −14 kt | -6 °C | 134 kt | 7 h 19 min | 6:19 pm EDT (22:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 24 kt | −20 kt | -18 °C | 140 kt | 7 h | 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 42 kt | −41 kt | -31 °C | 161 kt | 6 h 05 min | 5:05 pm EDT (21:05 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 46 kt | −45 kt | -39 °C | 165 kt | 5 h 56 min | 4:56 pm EDT (20:56 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 40 kt | −39 kt | -50 °C | 159 kt | 6 h 10 min | 5:10 pm EDT (21:10 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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 | 230/34 | 230/32 20° | 220/33 12° | 240/35 5° | 250/39 -7° | 250/43 -21° | 280/61 -31° | 280/73 -37° | 280/67 -47° |
| BRL | used from 50 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 240/28 | 240/25 18° | 250/26 12° | 260/29 5° | 260/24 -8° | 270/36 -20° | 280/57 -33° | 290/65 -37° | 290/54 -46° |
| COU | used from 100 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 240/28 | 240/22 17° | 250/18 12° | 260/22 6° | 270/23 -7° | 260/39 -19° | 290/70 -30° | 290/71 -37° | 290/58 -48° |
| STL | used from 200 nm out; 23 nm from the line | 240/25 | 240/21 15° | 260/21 12° | 270/21 7° | 280/25 -7° | 280/39 -19° | 290/65 -31° | 290/70 -38° | 290/59 -48° |
| CGI | used from 250 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 250/22 | 250/17 15° | 250/25 11° | 260/27 7° | 270/35 -7° | 280/38 -17° | 300/63 -31° | 300/62 -38° | 300/55 -49° |
| BNA | used from 400 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 270/14 | 270/10 14° | 280/19 11° | 280/26 6° | 280/25 -6° | 280/31 -18° | 300/44 -32° | 300/53 -40° | 310/51 -49° |
| HSV | used from 450 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 290/11 | 300/10 15° | 300/17 12° | 290/20 6° | 290/18 -5° | 290/25 -17° | 310/38 -31° | 320/47 -40° | 330/43 -50° |
| BHM | used from 550 nm out; 8 nm from the line | 310/11 | 310/13 16° | 310/18 11° | 300/17 6° | 300/14 -5° | 300/20 -17° | 320/35 -30° | 320/43 -40° | 340/38 -50° |
| MGM | used from 600 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 350/14 | 320/18 17° | 320/17 11° | 300/14 5° | 330/13 -5° | 310/12 -17° | 330/29 -30° | 340/40 -40° | 350/32 -50° |
| CSG | used from 650 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 340/20 | 340/15 17° | 330/19 11° | 320/19 5° | 330/11 -4° | 300/14 -17° | 330/28 -31° | 340/42 -40° | 350/33 -51° |
| TLH | used from 750 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 360/24 | 350/19 18° | 340/18 11° | 320/14 6° | 360/12 -5° | 350/21 -17° | 350/29 -32° | 360/34 -41° | 340/33 -53° |
| PIE | used from 900 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 360/14 | 010/20 18° | 320/11 13° | 290/16 8° | 340/11 -6° | 350/21 -17° | 360/39 -32° | 010/39 -42° | 350/17 -50° |
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 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 20,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 957 ft | 9:54 am CDT (14:54 UTC) |
| TVK Centerville, IA | 60 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR Weather: haze | from the south-southwest (200°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 | 6 mi | none | 1,023 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| IRK Kirksville, MO | 100 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southwest (210°) at 11 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 966 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| SUS St Louis, MO | 220 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 463 ft | 14:54 UTC |
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 320 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 341 ft | 14:03 UTC | |
| PVE Lexington-Parsons, TN | 440 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 487 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| BHM Birmingham, AL | 580 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,500 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 650 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| AUO Auburn, AL | 660 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 776 ft | 05:21 UTC | |
| DHN Dothan, AL | 730 nm out, 24 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 400 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| TLH Tallahassee, FL | 810 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (360°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 83 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| BKV Brooksville, FL | 960 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (360°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 76 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| TPA Tampa, FL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the north (360°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 10:53 am EDT (14:53 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 TPA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:56 pm EDT (20:56 UTC)
Wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for TPA
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Tue 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for DSM, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
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 TPA 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:27 pm EDT (23:27 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, Tampa International.