Delta County to Williston Basin International ESC → XWA
697 nautical miles (803 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 289°, about 294° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 54 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot headwind), arriving about 1:43 am CDT (06:43 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ESC is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots; XWA is IFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 14 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: 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 ZULU 4C: moderate icing up to 20,000 ft. Over the last 369 nm of the route.
- 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 339 to 488 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the destination end.
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 ESC.
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 20:00–03:00 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 (GRB, DLH, AXN, GFK, MOT). 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 4 kt | +2 kt | 6 °C | 118 kt | 5 h 54 min | 1:43 am CDT (06:43 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 10 kt | +6 kt | 11 °C | 114 kt | 6 h 07 min | 1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +12 kt | 9 °C | 108 kt | 6 h 27 min | 2:16 am CDT (07:16 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +14 kt | 5 °C | 106 kt | 6 h 35 min | 2:24 am CDT (07:24 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | +17 kt | 1 °C | 103 kt | 6 h 46 min | 2:35 am CDT (07:35 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 27 kt | +22 kt | -3 °C | 98 kt | 7 h 07 min | 2:56 am CDT (07:56 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 31 kt | +27 kt | -8 °C | 93 kt | 7 h 30 min | 3:19 am CDT (08:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -11 °C | 89 kt | 7 h 50 min | 3:39 am CDT (08:39 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 46 kt | +45 kt | -21 °C | 75 kt | 9 h 18 min | 5:07 am CDT (10:07 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 56 kt | +55 kt | -36 °C | 65 kt | 10 h 43 min | 6:32 am CDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 60 kt | +61 kt | -47 °C | 59 kt | 11 h 49 min | 7:38 am CDT (12:38 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 78 kt | +78 kt | -54 °C | 42 kt | 16 h 36 min | 12:25 pm CDT (17:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRB | used from 0 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 240/24 | 260/18 16° | 270/20 11° | 290/14 4° | 280/24 -9° | 300/34 -21° | 310/51 -38° | 310/54 -48° | 300/71 -51° |
| DLH | used from 100 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 240/6 | 230/22 15° | 250/28 11° | 230/22 4° | 270/33 -12° | 280/47 -21° | 280/59 -37° | 290/65 -47° | 290/88 -55° |
| AXN | used from 299 nm out; 86 nm from the line | L/V | 220/23 17° | 230/24 12° | 240/25 5° | 260/32 -11° | 260/40 -21° | 270/50 -35° | 270/57 -45° | 270/81 -55° |
| GFK | used from 349 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 050/18 | L/V 10° | 240/20 7° | 240/36 1° | 250/47 -11° | 260/53 -21° | 270/59 -36° | 270/65 -47° | 260/88 -56° |
| MOT | used from 498 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 070/8 6° | 180/7 2° | 220/18 -1° | 240/37 -11° | 250/55 -20° | 250/64 -36° | 250/70 -46° | 250/80 -54° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESC Escanaba, MI | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 609 ft | 7:56 pm EDT (23:56 UTC) |
| IMT Iron Mountain Kingsford, MI | 40 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,182 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| LNL Land O' Lakes, WI | 90 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,705 ft | 00:35 UTC |
| ASX Ashland, WI | 169 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR | from the northeast (050°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| DLH Duluth, MN | 219 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 12,000 feet | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 1,427 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| XVG Longville, MN | 309 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 15,000 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 15,000 ft | 1,336 ft | 00:34 UTC |
| FSE Fosston, MN | 379 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 300 ft | 1,278 ft | 00:35 UTC |
| GFK Grand Forks, ND | 438 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north (350°) at 14 knots | 6 mi | 700 ft | 845 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| DVL Devils Lake, ND | 508 nm out, 19 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 17 knots, gusting to 26 | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 1,469 ft | 23:56 UTC |
| MOT Minot, ND | 598 nm out, 13 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,100 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet | from the north (010°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 2,100 ft | 1,715 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| XWA Williston, ND | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (040°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 2,356 ft | 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,356 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At XWA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:43 am CDT (06:43 UTC)
Wind from the northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet IFR
The whole forecast for XWA
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) and 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/4348 GRAND FORKS AFB, ND, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 11 nm from the route, 438 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at ESC 7:08 pm EDT (23:08 UTC), at XWA 7:12 pm CDT (00:12 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:43 pm CDT (00:43 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at XWA is before sunrise there (8:09 am CDT (13:09 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: Delta County, Williston Basin International.