Hector International to Chicago O'Hare International FAR → ORD
483 nautical miles (556 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 125°, about 121° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:56 pm CDT (17:56 UTC). Right now FAR is low IFR, wind from the north (350°) at 11 knots; ORD is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 11 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: 4,806 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 168 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 FAR.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (AXN, MSP, LSE, DBQ, JOT). 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 11 kt | +2 kt | 118 kt | 4 h 06 min | 2:06 pm CDT (19:06 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | −2 kt | 122 kt | 3 h 58 min | 1:58 pm CDT (18:58 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | −7 kt | 15 °C | 127 kt | 3 h 48 min | 1:48 pm CDT (18:48 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | −12 kt | 11 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 40 min | 1:40 pm CDT (18:40 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | −15 kt | 6 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 35 min | 1:35 pm CDT (18:35 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | −16 kt | 1 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 33 min | 1:33 pm CDT (18:33 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 30 kt | −17 kt | -3 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 32 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 30 kt | −18 kt | -8 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 30 min | 1:30 pm CDT (18:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 30 kt | −18 kt | -9 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 30 min | 1:30 pm CDT (18:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 38 kt | −23 kt | -21 °C | 143 kt | 3 h 23 min | 1:23 pm CDT (18:23 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 38 kt | −24 kt | -36 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 21 min | 1:21 pm CDT (18:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 46 kt | −35 kt | -38 °C | 155 kt | 3 h 07 min | 1:07 pm CDT (18:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 55 kt | −45 kt | -47 °C | 165 kt | 2 h 56 min | 12:56 pm CDT (17:56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AXN | used from 0 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 110/18 | 200/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 4° | 240/31 -10° | 240/45 -21° | 240/38 -36° | 250/49 -38° | 260/56 -47° |
| MSP | used from 148 nm out; 23 nm from the line | 140/8 | 210/22 19° | 230/31 13° | 240/31 5° | 240/29 -9° | 250/34 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/46 -38° | 270/55 -47° |
| LSE | used from 246 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 240/16 | 230/27 20° | 250/35 12° | 260/28 5° | 260/30 -9° | 260/37 -21° | 260/38 -36° | 280/44 -37° | 280/52 -47° |
| DBQ | used from 345 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/32 19° | 250/35 11° | 260/37 5° | 270/35 -9° | 270/40 -21° | 270/43 -35° | 280/49 -37° | 280/58 -46° |
| JOT | used from 444 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 230/30 | 250/26 16° | 270/27 11° | 280/34 5° | 290/32 -8° | 280/37 -21° | 280/40 -36° | 290/46 -37° | 290/56 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAR Fargo, ND | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the north (350°) at 11 knots | 1.25 mi | 400 ft | 901 ft | 9:53 am CDT (14:53 UTC) |
| FFM Fergus Falls, MN | 39 nm out, 16 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 1,182 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| ADC Wadena, MN | 69 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the east (090°) at 8 knots | 7 mi | 1,000 ft | 1,368 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| STC St Cloud, MN | 138 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,000 feet | from the east-northeast (060°) at 11 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 1,030 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| ANE Minneapolis, MN | 187 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the northeast (040°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 912 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| STP St Paul, MN | 197 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 705 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| ONA Winona, MN | 276 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| LSE La Crosse, WI | 296 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 655 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| LNR Lone Rock, WI | 355 nm out, 9 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 717 ft | 14:56 UTC |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 424 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 23,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 807 ft | 14:45 UTC |
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 463 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 728 ft | 14:51 UTC |
| ORD Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 680 ft | 9:51 am CDT (14:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,368 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ORD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:56 pm CDT (17:56 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ORD
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for FAR, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 600 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 0 nm from the route, 177 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at FAR 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC), at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 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: Hector International, Chicago O'Hare International.