Northern Colorado Regional to Reno/Tahoe International FNL → RNO
681 nautical miles (783 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 270°, about 261° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 5:28 am PDT (12:28 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FNL is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots; RNO is VFR, wind from the north (350°) at 9 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: 7 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 TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 306 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 454 nm of the route.
- 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). Over the route from 20 to 197 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 99 to 542 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 168 to 572 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 168 to 168 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 10 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 FNL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- urgent B737 at 7,600 ft, 4 nm northwest, 9:22 pm MDT (03:22 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear 45 knots crosswind on final. 99 nm along the route, 4 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
HDN UUA /OV HDN/TM 0322/FL076/TP B737/RM LLWS 45 KTS CROSSWIND ON FINAL
- Report
- an urgent report filed through HDN
- Where
- over HDN
- Time
- 03:22 UTC
- Height
- at 7,600 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Remarks
- low-level wind shear 45 knots crosswind on final
- A320 descending, 42 nm southeast, 9:19 pm MDT (03:19 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the departure end, 42 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0319/FLDURD/TP A320/TB NEG BLO 100
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 03:19 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- no below 10,000 ft
- B38M at 21,500 ft, 6 nm north, 10:33 pm MDT (04:33 UTC): light turbulence up to 25,000 ft, remarks: during the descent flati star ZDVWC-13. 30 nm along the route, 6 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN305065/TM 0433/FL215/TP B38M/TB LGT BLO 250/RM DURD FLATI STAR. ZDVWC-13
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 65 nm northwest (305°) of DEN
- Time
- 04:33 UTC
- Height
- at 21,500 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- light below 25,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent flati star ZDVWC-13
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 7 forecast points nearest it (DEN, GJT, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, RNO). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 18 kt | +11 kt | 6 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 15 min | 5:28 am PDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | +17 kt | 0 °C | 103 kt | 6 h 37 min | 5:50 am PDT (12:50 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | +23 kt | -3 °C | 97 kt | 7 h 01 min | 6:14 am PDT (13:14 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | +23 kt | -6 °C | 97 kt | 7 h 01 min | 6:14 am PDT (13:14 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 37 kt | +24 kt | -10 °C | 96 kt | 7 h 06 min | 6:19 am PDT (13:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 210° at 41 kt | +24 kt | -13 °C | 96 kt | 7 h 06 min | 6:19 am PDT (13:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 210° at 48 kt | +26 kt | -24 °C | 94 kt | 7 h 15 min | 6:28 am PDT (13:28 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 55 kt | +36 kt | -29 °C | 84 kt | 8 h 06 min | 7:19 am PDT (14:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 59 kt | +44 kt | -34 °C | 76 kt | 8 h 58 min | 8:11 am PDT (15:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 54 kt | +42 kt | -43 °C | 78 kt | 8 h 44 min | 7:57 am PDT (14:57 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | used from 0 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° | ||
| GJT | used from 99 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 210/43 7° | 230/45 1° | 220/49 -12° | 220/62 -22° | 220/59 -28° | 230/60 -33° | 220/55 -45° | ||
| RKS | used from 148 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| SLC | used from 247 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 200/5 | 230/8 2° | 220/20 -2° | 210/40 -12° | 190/53 -25° | 210/62 -30° | 220/69 -34° | 220/64 -43° | |
| ELY | used from 395 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 200/39 3° | 210/27 -2° | 210/45 -15° | 220/56 -24° | 210/60 -28° | 210/63 -34° | 220/61 -43° | ||
| BAM | used from 493 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 310/7 0° | 270/19 -7° | 200/38 -17° | 190/49 -28° | 220/69 -29° | 220/63 -33° | 230/48 -41° | ||
| RNO | used from 592 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 010/9 | 320/10 -2° | 210/23 -9° | 210/34 -19° | 220/36 -25° | 230/31 -29° | 230/41 -33° | 230/38 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO | departure | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,020 ft | 11:56 pm MDT (05:56 UTC) |
| GNB Granby, CO | 39 nm out, 22 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,600 feet, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 8,207 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| HDN Hayden, CO | 99 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,606 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| VEL Vernal, UT | 207 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 5,274 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PVU Provo, UT | 306 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,900 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,900 ft | 4,496 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| TMT Austin, NV | 562 nm out, 20 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 5,735 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| FLX Fallon, NV | 631 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,966 ft | ||||
| RNO Reno, NV | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 feet | from the north (350°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,414 ft | 10:55 pm PDT (05:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 8,207 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RNO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:28 am PDT (12:28 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RNO
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am PDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm PDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
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 FNL 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC), at RNO 6:24 pm PDT (01:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm PDT (01:51 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RNO is before sunrise there (7:05 am PDT (14:05 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: Northern Colorado Regional, Reno/Tahoe International.