Plan a flight · Mon 2:54 am CDT (07:54 UTC)

Grand Forks International to Montrose Regional GFK → MTJ

734 nautical miles (845 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 223°, about 217° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 9-knot headwind), arriving about 8:31 am MDT (14:31 UTC). Right now GFK is IFR, wind from the north (010°) at 13 knots; MTJ is VFR, wind calm. 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 C13C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 3:55 am CDT (08:55 UTC). Over the route from 248 to 278 nm out.
as issued
```
WSUS32 KKCI 120655
MKCC WST 120655
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 13C
VALID UNTIL 0855Z
SD
FROM 50NW DPR-30ESE DPR-20SE RAP-50WNW RAP-50NW DPR
AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL300.
```
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: 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 first 397 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft, from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 347 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft, from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 288 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), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 208 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Near the route, 694 nm along 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 GFK.

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

B737 at 18,000 ft, 30 nm southeast, 2:24 am CDT (07:24 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: FL180-130. 556 nm along the route, 30 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN330050/TM 0724/FL180/TP B737/TB MOD/RM FL180-130
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
50 nm northwest (330°) of DEN
Time
07:24 UTC
Height
at 18,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
FL180-130
A20N at 25,000 ft, 44 nm southeast, 1:19 am CDT (06:19 UTC): light chop turbulence up to 26,000 ft, remarks: during the climb ZDVWC-06. 615 nm along the route, 44 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN250045/TM 0619/FL250/TP A20N/TB OCNL LGT CHOP BLO 260/RM DURC. ZDVWC-06
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
45 nm west (250°) of DEN
Time
06:19 UTC
Height
at 25,000 ft
Aircraft
A20N
Turbulence
occasional light chop below 26,000 ft
Remarks
during the climb ZDVWC-06
E170 at 4,800 ft, 46 nm northwest, 1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, clear from 4,800 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc. At the destination end, 46 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GJT UA /OV GJT/TM 0631/FL048/TP E170/SK SKC/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM DURD RNAV Y 11 LGJT. ZDVWC
```
Report
a routine report filed through GJT
Where
over GJT
Time
06:31 UTC
Height
at 4,800 ft
Aircraft
E170
Sky
clear
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
Remarks
during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc

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 (GFK, ABR, PIR, RAP, BFF, DEN, GJT). 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	170° at 16 kt	+9 kt	16 °C	111 kt	6 h 37 min	8:31 am MDT (14:31 UTC)
6,500 ft	190° at 17 kt	+14 kt	13 °C	106 kt	6 h 55 min	8:49 am MDT (14:49 UTC)
8,500 ft	210° at 24 kt	+24 kt	11 °C	96 kt	7 h 39 min	9:33 am MDT (15:33 UTC)
10,500 ft	220° at 29 kt	+29 kt	8 °C	91 kt	8 h 04 min	9:58 am MDT (15:58 UTC)
12,500 ft	230° at 33 kt	+32 kt	4 °C	88 kt	8 h 20 min	10:14 am MDT (16:14 UTC)
14,500 ft	230° at 33 kt	+33 kt	-1 °C	87 kt	8 h 26 min	10:20 am MDT (16:20 UTC)
16,500 ft	230° at 34 kt	+33 kt	-6 °C	87 kt	8 h 26 min	10:20 am MDT (16:20 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	230° at 34 kt	+34 kt	-10 °C	86 kt	8 h 32 min	10:26 am MDT (16:26 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 41 kt	+40 kt	-21 °C	80 kt	9 h 10 min	11:04 am MDT (17:04 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	240° at 40 kt	+39 kt	-34 °C	81 kt	9 h 04 min	10:58 am MDT (16:58 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	250° at 47 kt	+42 kt	-38 °C	78 kt	9 h 25 min	11:19 am MDT (17:19 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	250° at 53 kt	+46 kt	-47 °C	74 kt	9 h 55 min	11:49 am MDT (17:49 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
GFK	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	070/18	100/10 9°	250/11 6°	250/27 1°	250/34 -10°	260/43 -21°	260/39 -36°	260/36 -46°	260/59 -53°
ABR	used from 99 nm out; 68 nm from the line	070/14	250/10 17°	270/16 11°	260/28 5°	260/36 -10°	260/41 -22°	270/33 -37°	260/42 -42°	260/50 -48°
PIR	used from 198 nm out; 53 nm from the line		170/22 19°	190/25 13°	210/32 6°	240/23 -9°	250/32 -21°	250/38 -36°	260/44 -40°	260/52 -47°
RAP	used from 298 nm out; 34 nm from the line		180/23 12°	200/38 13°	210/38 6°	220/28 -10°	230/34 -21°	230/37 -36°	250/52 -38°	250/59 -46°
BFF	used from 397 nm out; 47 nm from the line		180/28	220/33 15°	210/31 7°	230/32 -9°	220/41 -21°	220/40 -33°	240/47 -36°	250/54 -46°
DEN	used from 546 nm out; 71 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 645 nm out; 69 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°

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
GFK Grand Forks, ND	departure	IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet	from the north (010°) at 13 knots	10+ mi	700 ft	845 ft	1:53 am CDT (06:53 UTC)
BAC Valley City, ND	69 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet	from the north-northeast (020°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18	10+ mi	700 ft	1,401 ft	05:55 UTC
JMS Jamestown, ND	89 nm out, 4 nm north of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: mist	from the northeast (040°) at 9 knots	6 mi	500 ft	1,499 ft	06:56 UTC
MBG Mobridge, SD	198 nm out, 3 nm north of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet	from the northeast (050°) at 11 knots	9 mi	500 ft	1,716 ft	07:52 UTC
PHP Philip, SD	298 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the north (360°) at 10 knots	3 mi	500 ft	2,209 ft	07:38 UTC
CDR Chadron, NE	397 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist	from the north (010°) at 6 knots	2 mi	300 ft	3,297 ft	07:20 UTC
GUR Guernsey, WY	466 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 15,000 feet	from the east (100°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	15,000 ft	4,401 ft	06:55 UTC
CYS Cheyenne, WY	526 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-southwest (240°) at 21 knots, gusting to 31	10+ mi	none	6,159 ft	06:53 UTC
EGE Eagle, CO	655 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 8,500 feet	from the east-southeast (110°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	6,547 ft	06:56 UTC
ASE Aspen, CO	675 nm out, 14 nm east of the line, tower	VFR Sky: overcast at 9,500 feet	variable at 3 knots	10+ mi	9,500 ft	7,837 ft	06:53 UTC
MTJ Montrose, CO	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	none	5,758 ft	12:53 am MDT (06:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 7,837 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MTJ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:31 am MDT (14:31 UTC)

Wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MTJ

From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet

The forecast for GFK, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 400 feet
From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
30% chance between Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): light rain showers
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 700 feet

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

6/4348 GRAND FORKS AFB, ND, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 3 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 1 November · ZMP

Daylight

Sunset at GFK 6:46 pm CDT (23:46 UTC), at MTJ 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm MDT (01:03 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 southern Rockies · 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: Grand Forks International, Montrose Regional.