Detroit Metro Wayne County to Portland International DTW → PDX
1,693 nautical miles (1,948 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 290°, about 297° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 14 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 2:19 pm PDT (21:19 UTC). 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: 751 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). Over the first 129 nm of the route.
- 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 route from 269 to 418 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 568 to 1384 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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, 936 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 976 to 1036 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 986 to 1085 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1105 to 1593 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1115 to 1513 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 1215 to 1424 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 189 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 DTW.
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 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 15 forecast points nearest it (FWA, MKG, GRB, LSE, MSP, AXN, ABR, PIR, DIK, MLS, BIL, DLN, LWS, YKM, PDX). 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 | 200° at 6 kt | +1 kt | 6 °C | 119 kt | 14 h 14 min | 2:19 pm PDT (21:19 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 6 kt | +3 kt | 9 °C | 117 kt | 14 h 28 min | 2:33 pm PDT (21:33 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 7 kt | +4 kt | 5 °C | 116 kt | 14 h 36 min | 2:41 pm PDT (21:41 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 12 kt | +8 kt | 2 °C | 112 kt | 15 h 07 min | 3:12 pm PDT (22:12 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 17 kt | +12 kt | -1 °C | 108 kt | 15 h 41 min | 3:46 pm PDT (22:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | +14 kt | -5 °C | 106 kt | 15 h 58 min | 4:03 pm PDT (23:03 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +17 kt | -9 °C | 103 kt | 16 h 26 min | 4:31 pm PDT (23:31 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 22 kt | +18 kt | -12 °C | 102 kt | 16 h 36 min | 4:41 pm PDT (23:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 23 kt | +19 kt | -23 °C | 101 kt | 16 h 46 min | 4:51 pm PDT (23:51 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 27 kt | +25 kt | -36 °C | 95 kt | 17 h 49 min | 5:54 pm PDT (00:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 37 kt | +36 kt | -41 °C | 84 kt | 20 h 09 min | 8:14 pm PDT (03:14 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 47 kt | +47 kt | -47 °C | 73 kt | 23 h 12 min | 11:17 pm PDT (06:17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FWA | used from 0 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| MKG | used from 50 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| GRB | used from 199 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
| LSE | used from 299 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| MSP | used from 398 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -52° |
| AXN | used from 548 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| ABR | used from 597 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| PIR | used from 747 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| DIK | used from 797 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| MLS | used from 896 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| BIL | used from 1045 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| DLN | used from 1195 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 090/6 -6° | 240/22 -4° | 210/34 -16° | 210/62 -25° | 210/66 -34° | 210/82 -36° | 220/77 -42° | ||
| LWS | used from 1344 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 070/10 | 080/12 -2° | 030/12 -6° | 080/7 -10° | 170/34 -21° | 160/46 -32° | 200/33 -35° | 220/22 -35° | 230/18 -38° |
| YKM | used from 1543 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 070/10 | 040/15 -1° | 020/27 -8° | 030/25 -13° | 020/48 -20° | 010/83 -27° | 010/77 -37° | 010/49 -40° | 350/14 -41° |
| PDX | used from 1643 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | 030/7 1° | 020/12 -6° | 020/29 -9° | 010/69 -16° | 010/81 -25° | 360/83 -40° | 360/67 -46° | 320/29 -42° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTW Detroit, MI | departure | no report just now | 645 ft | ||||
| ARB Ann Arbor, MI | 20 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 839 ft | ||||
| MWC Milwaukee, WI | 209 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 744 ft | ||||
| CMY Sparta, WI | 339 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 839 ft | ||||
| GDB Granite Falls, MN | 548 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,047 ft | ||||
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 767 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,716 ft | ||||
| HEI Hettinger, ND | 856 nm out, 23 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,705 ft | ||||
| BIL Billings, MT | 1105 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,662 ft | ||||
| BZN Bozeman, MT | 1215 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,473 ft | ||||
| ALW Walla Walla, WA | 1513 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,194 ft | ||||
| PDT Pendleton, OR | 1533 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,494 ft | ||||
| PDX Portland, OR | destination | no report just now | 30 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,473 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PDX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:19 pm PDT (21:19 UTC)
PDX has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at PDX 6:28 pm PDT (01:28 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm PDT (01:58 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: Detroit Metro Wayne County, Portland International.