Plan a flight · Mon 1:43 am CDT (06:43 UTC)

Joe Foss Field to Portsmouth International AT Pease FSD → PSM

1,128 nautical miles (1,298 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 083°, about 078° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 57-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:05 am EDT (13:05 UTC). Right now FSD is VFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 7 knots; PSM is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) 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: 2 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). Over the route from 150 to 339 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). Over the last 619 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 259 nm of the route.
AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 230 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 918 to 1088 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 70 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

UAL330 at 35,000 ft, 15 nm south, 11:30 pm CDT (04:30 UTC): moderate turbulence, wind 235° at 92 knots. At the destination end, 15 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL330 4257N 07145W 0430 F350 235/092KT TB MOD TURB CONT MOD CHOP IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP
B763 descending, 14 nm southwest, 1:21 am CDT (06:21 UTC): overcast above 40,000 ft. At the destination end, 14 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MHT UA /OV KMHT/TM 0621/FLDURD/TP B763/SK OVC004
```
Report
a routine report filed through MHT
Where
over KMHT
Time
06:21 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B763
Sky
overcast from 400 ft
B763 descending, 14 nm southwest, 12:55 am CDT (05:55 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 14 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MHT UA /OV RWY 35/TM 0555/FLDURD/TP B763/SK 004-005 FT
```
Report
a routine report filed through MHT
Where
runway 35
Time
05:55 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B763
Sky
from 400 ft to 500 ft ft
CRJ7 descending, 14 nm southwest, 11:09 pm CDT (04:09 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 14 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MHT UA /OV RWY 6/TM 0409/FLDURD/TP CRJ7/SK 006
```
Report
a routine report filed through MHT
Where
runway 6
Time
04:09 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ7
Sky
at 600 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, LSE, GRB, TVC, BUF, SYR, ALB, BOS). 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	250° at 17 kt	−16 kt		136 kt	8 h 18 min	11:01 am EDT (15:01 UTC)
5,500 ft	260° at 15 kt	−15 kt		135 kt	8 h 21 min	11:04 am EDT (15:04 UTC)
7,500 ft	270° at 12 kt	−13 kt	11 °C	133 kt	8 h 29 min	11:12 am EDT (15:12 UTC)
9,500 ft	280° at 11 kt	−11 kt	8 °C	131 kt	8 h 37 min	11:20 am EDT (15:20 UTC)
11,500 ft	270° at 13 kt	−13 kt	4 °C	133 kt	8 h 29 min	11:12 am EDT (15:12 UTC)
13,500 ft	270° at 15 kt	−16 kt	0 °C	136 kt	8 h 18 min	11:01 am EDT (15:01 UTC)
15,500 ft	270° at 19 kt	−19 kt	-5 °C	139 kt	8 h 07 min	10:50 am EDT (14:50 UTC)
17,500 ft	280° at 22 kt	−22 kt	-9 °C	142 kt	7 h 57 min	10:40 am EDT (14:40 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 23 kt	−23 kt	-10 °C	143 kt	7 h 53 min	10:36 am EDT (14:36 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	270° at 29 kt	−28 kt	-21 °C	148 kt	7 h 37 min	10:20 am EDT (14:20 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	270° at 36 kt	−36 kt	-36 °C	156 kt	7 h 14 min	9:57 am EDT (13:57 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	270° at 45 kt	−44 kt	-44 °C	164 kt	6 h 53 min	9:36 am EDT (13:36 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	270° at 58 kt	−57 kt	-52 °C	177 kt	6 h 22 min	9:05 am EDT (13:05 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 100 nm out; 46 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°
LSE	used from 200 nm out; 15 nm from the line	230/40	240/24 17°	240/13 10°	250/13 6°	280/22 -9°	250/28 -21°	250/41 -34°	260/42 -44°	270/62 -53°
GRB	used from 299 nm out; 56 nm from the line	250/36	270/23 16°	270/14 9°	240/18 4°	280/26 -9°	280/29 -20°	290/42 -36°	290/51 -45°	290/72 -55°
TVC	used from 449 nm out; 40 nm from the line	260/31	280/22 15°	290/18 10°	270/13 2°	290/25 -10°	300/35 -21°	310/52 -37°	320/59 -47°	300/84 -54°
BUF	used from 649 nm out; 124 nm from the line	320/10	010/16 10°	360/10 6°	340/13 2°	330/22 -11°	300/25 -23°	320/31 -38°	300/29 -44°	280/36 -50°
SYR	used from 848 nm out; 41 nm from the line	280/13	350/18 10°	340/10 6°	300/15 1°	280/17 -12°	270/16 -23°	280/25 -38°	250/40 -42°	240/53 -50°
ALB	used from 948 nm out; 50 nm from the line	120/9	270/8 10°	L/V 5°	260/9 1°	260/34 -10°	250/42 -22°	240/57 -35°	240/70 -42°	240/65 -50°
BOS	used from 1048 nm out; 70 nm from the line	110/20	200/26 12°	280/24 8°	260/29 3°	250/47 -10°	230/59 -19°	230/74 -33°	240/95 -41°	240/96 -53°

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-northeast (020°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	1,430 ft	12:56 am CDT (05:56 UTC)
OTG Worthington, MN	50 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the north (010°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	1,574 ft	05:56 UTC
RST Rochester, MN	190 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 12 knots	9 mi	none	1,317 ft	05:54 UTC
CMY Sparta, WI	259 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	839 ft	05:55 UTC
OSH Oshkosh, WI	359 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	808 ft	05:53 UTC
GDW Gladwin, MI	529 nm out, 7 nm south of the line	IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 100 feet Weather: mist	variable at 3 knots	1.25 mi	none	774 ft	06:35 UTC
BAX Bad Axe, MI	599 nm out, 16 nm south of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet	from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	500 ft	763 ft	06:35 UTC
CYOO Oshawa,	768 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line	marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,900 feet, overcast at 3,700 feet	from the north (010°) at 2 knots	9 mi	2,900 ft	459 ft	06:00 UTC
FZY Fulton, NY	888 nm out, 20 nm south of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain	calm	10+ mi	600 ft	475 ft	06:11 UTC
RME Rome, NY	928 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet, overcast at 3,200 feet	from the east-southeast (110°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	3,200 ft	504 ft	06:26 UTC
MHT Manchester, NH	1108 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the north (360°) at 4 knots	5 mi	1,200 ft	266 ft	05:53 UTC
PSM Portsmouth, NH	destination	IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 800 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the north-northeast (030°) at 6 knots	1.5 mi	800 ft	100 ft	1:55 am EDT (05:55 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,574 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At PSM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:05 am EDT (13:05 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,000 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for PSM

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 6 knots, visibility 1½ miles, rain, mist, a broken layer at 300 feet, overcast at 800 feet
From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 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 PSM 6:05 pm EDT (22:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 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, Portsmouth International AT Pease.