Joe Foss Field to Great Falls International FSD → GTF
657 nautical miles (756 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 296°, about 291° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 11:16 am MDT (17:16 UTC). Right now FSD is VFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 3 knots; GTF is low IFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 6 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
- SIGMET C17C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 7:55 am CDT (12:55 UTC). Over the route from 179 to 239 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 121055 MKCC WST 121055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 17C VALID UNTIL 1255Z SD ND FROM 20NW BIS-60E BIS-20WNW PIR-20SW DPR-20NW BIS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
- 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 last 647 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 368 to 458 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 189 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 548 to 647 nm out.
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
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 08:00–15:00 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 6 forecast points nearest it (FSD, PIR, DIK, MLS, BIL, GTF). 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 | 250° at 11 kt | +8 kt | 6 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 52 min | 11:16 am MDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | +9 kt | 9 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 55 min | 11:19 am MDT (17:19 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +10 kt | 9 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 58 min | 11:22 am MDT (17:22 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | +11 kt | 3 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 02 min | 11:26 am MDT (17:26 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +12 kt | 0 °C | 108 kt | 6 h 05 min | 11:29 am MDT (17:29 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | +11 kt | -4 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 02 min | 11:26 am MDT (17:26 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | +10 kt | -8 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 58 min | 11:22 am MDT (17:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 31 kt | +9 kt | -11 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 55 min | 11:19 am MDT (17:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 40 kt | +11 kt | -23 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 02 min | 11:26 am MDT (17:26 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 46 kt | +21 kt | -34 °C | 99 kt | 6 h 38 min | 12:02 pm MDT (18:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 53 kt | +27 kt | -38 °C | 93 kt | 7 h 04 min | 12:28 pm MDT (18:28 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 63 kt | +40 kt | -46 °C | 80 kt | 8 h 13 min | 1:37 pm MDT (19:37 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| PIR | used from 100 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| DIK | used from 249 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| MLS | used from 348 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 498 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| GTF | used from 597 nm out; 35 nm from the line | L/V | L/V -7° | 240/8 -8° | 240/30 -14° | 240/40 -28° | 210/52 -38° | 210/76 -38° | 220/72 -43° |
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 Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 5:56 am CDT (10:56 UTC) |
| MHE Mitchell, SD | 60 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the north (350°) at 7 knots | 8 mi | 400 ft | 1,304 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| MKA Miller, SD | 110 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,569 ft | ||||
| PIR Pierre, SD | 159 nm out, 20 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the northeast (040°) at 6 knots | 4 mi | 400 ft | 1,744 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| MLS Miles City, MT | 428 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet Weather: mist | from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots | 5 mi | 1,500 ft | 2,634 ft | 11:17 UTC |
| LWT Lewistown, MT | 577 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,170 ft | ||||
| GTF Great Falls, MT | destination | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (320°) at 6 knots | 1.75 mi | 400 ft | 3,680 ft | 5:18 am MDT (11:18 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,170 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At GTF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:16 am MDT (17:16 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 700 feet IFR
The whole forecast for GTF
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 700 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 500 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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at FSD 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC), at GTF 6:41 pm MDT (00:41 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:12 pm MDT (01:12 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: Joe Foss Field, Great Falls International.