Erie Intl/Tom Ridge Field to Tri-Cities Airport ERI → TRI
352 nautical miles (405 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 198°, about 208° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 29-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:30 am EDT (09:30 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ERI is marginal VFR, wind variable at 4 knots; TRI is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 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 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 last 303 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 196 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Near the route, 333 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the last 0 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 ERI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 4 forecast points nearest it (CLE, AGC, CRW, TRI). 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 | 330° at 19 kt | −14 kt | 11 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 38 min | 5:46 am EDT (09:46 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | −15 kt | 10 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 36 min | 5:44 am EDT (09:44 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 340° at 22 kt | −17 kt | 8 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 34 min | 5:42 am EDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 22 kt | −17 kt | 5 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 34 min | 5:42 am EDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 22 kt | −17 kt | 2 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 34 min | 5:42 am EDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | −19 kt | -3 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 32 min | 5:40 am EDT (09:40 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 340° at 28 kt | −22 kt | -7 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 29 min | 5:37 am EDT (09:37 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 340° at 30 kt | −23 kt | -10 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 28 min | 5:36 am EDT (09:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 340° at 37 kt | −29 kt | -21 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 22 min | 5:30 am EDT (09:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 40 kt | −27 kt | -35 °C | 147 kt | 2 h 24 min | 5:32 am EDT (09:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 43 kt | −22 kt | -40 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 29 min | 5:37 am EDT (09:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 43 kt | −23 kt | -47 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 28 min | 5:36 am EDT (09:36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | used from 0 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| AGC | used from 49 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 350/14 | 330/20 11° | 340/18 8° | 330/17 3° | 340/22 -11° | 340/31 -22° | 330/33 -36° | 300/34 -41° | 300/35 -47° |
| CRW | used from 147 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 330/20 | 330/23 11° | 340/25 8° | 340/21 2° | 340/33 -9° | 340/41 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/44 -39° | 320/43 -47° |
| TRI | used from 294 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ERI Erie, PA | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 3,000 feet | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 732 ft | 8:51 pm EDT (00:51 UTC) |
| GKJ Meadville, PA | 29 nm out, 7 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 1,800 ft | 1,399 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| YNG Youngstown/Warren, OH | 59 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,400 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 3 knots | 8 mi | 1,200 ft | 1,191 ft | 06:51 UTC |
| HLG Wheeling, WV | 117 nm out, 15 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 1,194 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| PKB Parkersburg, WV | 176 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,500 ft | 858 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| USW Spencer, WV | 206 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | no report just now | 928 ft | ||||
| CRW Charleston, WV | 235 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain, mist | variable at 4 knots | 1 mi | 600 ft | 947 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| EBD Williamson, WV | 284 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,883 ft | ||||
| VJI Abingdon, VA | 333 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the west-southwest (250°) at 9 knots | 3 mi | 500 ft | 2,087 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet Weather: mist | from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots | 6 mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,087 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TRI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:30 am EDT (09:30 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet marginal VFR
At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 1,000 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for TRI
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for ERI, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 29 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8888 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, 49 nm along the route · security · today · ZOB
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 49 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at ERI 6:44 pm EDT (22:44 UTC), at TRI 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm EDT (23:23 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at TRI is before sunrise there (7:33 am EDT (11:33 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: Erie Intl/Tom Ridge Field, Tri-Cities Airport.