EL Paso International to Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport ELP → TCL
953 nautical miles (1,096 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 080°, about 072° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 07 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 36-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ELP is VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 6 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: 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
- SIGMET 2W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm MDT (02:55 UTC). Over the first 60 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120055 MKCW WST 120055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 2W VALID UNTIL 0255Z TX NM AZ FROM 50NNW SJN-60WNW CME-60E ELP-70SSW SSO-50SW TUS-50NNW SJN AREA SEV TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL360. HAIL TO 1 IN...WIND GUSTS TO 50KT POSS.
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 ELP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- UAL1770 at 34,000 ft, 43 nm south, 4:55 pm MDT (22:55 UTC): light chop turbulence, wind 349° at 61 knots. At the destination end, 43 nm south 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
- B712 at 30,000 ft, 22 nm south, 5:09 pm MDT (23:09 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME46. At the destination end, 22 nm south 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, 22 nm south, 5:05 pm MDT (23:05 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZME46. At the destination end, 22 nm south 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
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 7 forecast points nearest it (ELP, INK, ABI, DAL, SHV, JAN, 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 | 210° at 10 kt | −6 kt | 126 kt | 7 h 34 min | 4:27 am CDT (09:27 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 14 kt | −7 kt | 18 °C | 127 kt | 7 h 30 min | 4:23 am CDT (09:23 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 14 kt | −11 kt | 14 °C | 131 kt | 7 h 16 min | 4:09 am CDT (09:09 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | −15 kt | 11 °C | 135 kt | 7 h 04 min | 3:57 am CDT (08:57 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | −16 kt | 8 °C | 136 kt | 7 h | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 4 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 54 min | 3:47 am CDT (08:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | −19 kt | 0 °C | 139 kt | 6 h 51 min | 3:44 am CDT (08:44 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 20 kt | −21 kt | -4 °C | 141 kt | 6 h 46 min | 3:39 am CDT (08:39 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 20 kt | −21 kt | -5 °C | 141 kt | 6 h 46 min | 3:39 am CDT (08:39 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 24 kt | −24 kt | -15 °C | 144 kt | 6 h 37 min | 3:30 am CDT (08:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 33 kt | −34 kt | -29 °C | 154 kt | 6 h 11 min | 3:04 am CDT (08:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 35 kt | −34 kt | -40 °C | 154 kt | 6 h 11 min | 3:04 am CDT (08:04 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 39 kt | −36 kt | -51 °C | 156 kt | 6 h 07 min | 3:00 am CDT (08:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/15 | 200/16 15° | 200/17 6° | 220/40 -6° | 240/53 -16° | 230/62 -27° | 240/63 -38° | 250/59 -49° | |
| INK | used from 99 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 160/27 20° | 190/18 13° | 240/19 7° | 250/23 -4° | 250/33 -15° | 230/45 -28° | 250/45 -39° | 270/49 -50° | |
| ABI | used from 248 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 180/26 17° | 220/18 12° | 230/25 8° | 230/28 -5° | 240/29 -14° | 250/35 -28° | 270/37 -39° | 280/37 -51° | |
| DAL | used from 397 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 180/21 | 190/24 15° | 230/20 12° | 220/23 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/18 -15° | 280/33 -29° | 280/36 -39° | 300/33 -52° |
| SHV | used from 546 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 190/11 | 230/19 17° | 230/26 12° | 260/15 7° | 280/16 -4° | 300/17 -15° | 300/34 -30° | 300/31 -41° | 310/42 -52° |
| JAN | used from 744 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 260/6 | 310/14 17° | 280/13 12° | 290/19 6° | 310/22 -5° | 310/28 -17° | 320/44 -32° | 330/48 -41° | 320/52 -51° |
| BHM | used from 893 nm out; 80 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELP El Paso, TX | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet, a broken layer at 21,000 feet | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 3,961 ft | 7:51 pm MDT (01:51 UTC) |
| CNM Carlsbad, NM | 109 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,294 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| SNK Snyder, TX | 278 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 2,430 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| ABI Abilene, TX | 337 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 1,790 ft | 00:52 UTC |
| DFW Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | 476 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 606 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| DAL Dallas, TX | 486 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 486 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| TXK Texarkana, AR | 635 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 389 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| CRT Crossett, AR | 734 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 183 ft | ||||
| GWO Greenwood, MS | 833 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 162 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| GTR Columbus/W Point/Starkville, MS | 903 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 264 ft | 00:56 UTC |
| 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 3,961 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, 3:00 am CDT (08:00 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 ELP, the departure
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- At times between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30
- From Sun 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, 476 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 2 nm from the route, 486 nm along the route · a VIP movement · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at ELP 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 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
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: EL Paso International, Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport.