Plan a flight · Mon 2:37 am CDT (07:37 UTC)

Joe Foss Field to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport FSD → DCA

932 nautical miles (1,072 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 101°, about 096° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 47-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:12 am EDT (13:12 UTC). Right now FSD is VFR, wind from the north (010°) at 3 knots; DCA is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 13 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: 10 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 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 89 to 297 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 495 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 743 to 882 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft, from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 99 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 FSD.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B738 at 1,700 ft, 37 nm north, 1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 585 nm along the route, 37 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
06:20 UTC
Height
at 1,700 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
B738 at 1,800 ft, 37 nm north, 12:18 am CDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. 585 nm along the route, 37 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
05:18 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B738 at 1,300 ft, 37 nm north, 11:45 pm CDT (04:45 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 585 nm along the route, 37 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0445/FL013/TP B738/SK OVC013-TOP030/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
04:45 UTC
Height
at 1,300 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
MD83 climbing, 50 nm south, 12:04 am CDT (05:04 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 654 nm along the route, 50 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CMH UA /OV LCK/TM 0504/FLDURC/TP MD83/SK B010 T037
```
Report
a routine report filed through CMH
Where
over LCK
Time
05:04 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
MD83
Sky
B010 T037
B737 at 800 ft, 26 nm northeast, 2:30 am CDT (07:30 UTC): remarks: bases 800 ft. At the destination end, 26 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BWI UA /OV BWI/TM 0730/FL008/TP B737/RM BASES 008
```
Report
a routine report filed through BWI
Where
over BWI
Time
07:30 UTC
Height
at 800 ft
Aircraft
B737
Remarks
bases 800 ft

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 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 9 forecast points nearest it (FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT, FWA, CMH, AGC, EKN, RIC). 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	260° at 17 kt	−15 kt		135 kt	6 h 54 min	10:31 am EDT (14:31 UTC)
5,500 ft	280° at 18 kt	−18 kt	12 °C	138 kt	6 h 45 min	10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC)
7,500 ft	290° at 16 kt	−17 kt	12 °C	137 kt	6 h 48 min	10:25 am EDT (14:25 UTC)
9,500 ft	300° at 14 kt	−14 kt	9 °C	134 kt	6 h 57 min	10:34 am EDT (14:34 UTC)
11,500 ft	300° at 12 kt	−12 kt	5 °C	132 kt	7 h 04 min	10:41 am EDT (14:41 UTC)
13,500 ft	300° at 14 kt	−14 kt	1 °C	134 kt	6 h 57 min	10:34 am EDT (14:34 UTC)
15,500 ft	300° at 16 kt	−17 kt	-3 °C	137 kt	6 h 48 min	10:25 am EDT (14:25 UTC)
17,500 ft	290° at 19 kt	−20 kt	-7 °C	140 kt	6 h 39 min	10:16 am EDT (14:16 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	290° at 20 kt	−20 kt	-8 °C	140 kt	6 h 39 min	10:16 am EDT (14:16 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	300° at 26 kt	−26 kt	-20 °C	146 kt	6 h 23 min	10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	290° at 31 kt	−32 kt	-35 °C	152 kt	6 h 08 min	9:45 am EDT (13:45 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 43 kt	−44 kt	-42 °C	164 kt	5 h 41 min	9:18 am EDT (13:18 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 47 kt	−47 kt	-49 °C	167 kt	5 h 35 min	9:12 am EDT (13:12 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
FSD	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	190/9	230/30 18°	240/23 13°	240/20 6°	260/22 -9°	250/31 -21°	250/43 -36°	260/49 -43°	270/53 -47°
MCW	used from 99 nm out; 28 nm from the line	220/44	250/30 17°	230/14 12°	240/17 6°	250/22 -8°	270/29 -20°	250/34 -34°	260/52 -43°	260/59 -51°
DBQ	used from 198 nm out; 52 nm from the line	230/33	250/30 16°	280/15 9°	260/15 5°	260/21 -7°	260/24 -20°	250/37 -33°	270/42 -43°	280/63 -52°
JOT	used from 347 nm out; 39 nm from the line	250/23	270/22 15°	250/16 10°	240/9 4°	280/22 -7°	280/29 -19°	300/29 -34°	290/50 -43°	300/64 -52°
FWA	used from 446 nm out; 67 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°
CMH	used from 595 nm out; 52 nm from the line	330/15	340/22 14°	340/24 9°	340/23 4°	340/35 -9°	340/49 -20°	340/58 -37°	330/70 -42°	340/55 -47°
AGC	used from 694 nm out; 63 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°
EKN	used from 793 nm out; 50 nm from the line		330/21 12°	330/25 7°	350/22 2°	330/24 -10°	310/27 -21°	320/33 -35°	290/31 -39°	290/34 -47°
RIC	used from 892 nm out; 89 nm from the line	270/23	280/19 11°	270/18 8°	240/22 4°	230/39 -7°	220/55 -18°	220/75 -30°	230/83 -39°	230/64 -50°

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
FSD Sioux Falls, SD	departure	VFR	from the north (010°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	1,430 ft	1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC)
RRQ Rock Rapids, IA	30 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line	no report just now				1,363 ft
MCW Mason City, IA	149 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,213 ft	06:53 UTC
DBQ Dubuque, IA	277 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,076 ft	06:53 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL	347 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	25,000 ft	742 ft	06:54 UTC
ORD Chicago, IL	396 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 30,000 feet	from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	680 ft	06:51 UTC
SBN South Bend, IN	476 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	798 ft	06:54 UTC
OWX Ottawa, OH	585 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line	marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,100 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots	9 mi	1,100 ft	763 ft	07:15 UTC
HLG Wheeling, WV	743 nm out, 9 nm northeast 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
MGW Morgantown, WV	793 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist	calm	3 mi	400 ft	1,243 ft	07:27 UTC
IAD Washington, DC	912 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the north-northwest (340°) at 11 knots	4 mi	900 ft	312 ft	06:52 UTC
DCA Washington, DC	destination	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet	from the north-northwest (340°) at 13 knots	7 mi	1,000 ft	14 ft	3:10 am EDT (07:10 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,430 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:12 am EDT (13:12 UTC)

Wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for DCA

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet

The forecast for FSD, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet
From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 14,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC

Daylight

Sunset at FSD 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 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

Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Joe Foss Field, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.