Gerald R Ford International to Boeing Fld/King County International GRR → BFI
1,566 nautical miles (1,802 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 293°, about 299° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 44 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:51 pm PDT (19:51 UTC). Right now GRR is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots; BFI is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 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
- 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 first 20 nm of the route.
- 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 160 to 299 nm out.
- 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 route from 469 to 1296 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 887 to 897 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1017 to 1316 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 1097 to 1296 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 189 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 GRR.
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 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 15 forecast points nearest it (MKG, GRB, LSE, MSP, AXN, ABR, DIK, MLS, GGW, BIL, GTF, GPI, GEG, YKM, SEA). 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 | 160° at 6 kt | −3 kt | 1 °C | 123 kt | 12 h 44 min | 12:51 pm PDT (19:51 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 190° at 5 kt | −1 kt | 8 °C | 121 kt | 12 h 57 min | 1:04 pm PDT (20:04 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 7 kt | +1 kt | 5 °C | 119 kt | 13 h 10 min | 1:17 pm PDT (20:17 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 11 kt | +4 kt | 1 °C | 116 kt | 13 h 30 min | 1:37 pm PDT (20:37 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | +8 kt | -2 °C | 112 kt | 13 h 59 min | 2:06 pm PDT (21:06 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 17 kt | +11 kt | -6 °C | 109 kt | 14 h 22 min | 2:29 pm PDT (21:29 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +15 kt | -9 °C | 105 kt | 14 h 55 min | 3:02 pm PDT (22:02 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 22 kt | +18 kt | -12 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 21 min | 3:28 pm PDT (22:28 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 24 kt | +18 kt | -23 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 21 min | 3:28 pm PDT (22:28 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 26 kt | +22 kt | -37 °C | 98 kt | 15 h 59 min | 4:06 pm PDT (23:06 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 36 kt | +32 kt | -42 °C | 88 kt | 17 h 48 min | 5:55 pm PDT (00:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 49 kt | +45 kt | -47 °C | 75 kt | 20 h 53 min | 9:00 pm PDT (04:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKG | used from 0 nm out; 11 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| GRB | used from 100 nm out; 49 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° |
| LSE | used from 199 nm out; 46 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° |
| MSP | used from 299 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -52° |
| AXN | used from 399 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| ABR | used from 499 nm out; 60 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° |
| DIK | used from 648 nm out; 98 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| MLS | used from 848 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| GGW | used from 947 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 110/23 0° | 130/20 -2° | 170/24 -3° | 230/44 -11° | 220/51 -21° | 210/52 -39° | 220/64 -44° | 240/85 -48° | |
| BIL | used from 997 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| GTF | used from 1047 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° | |
| GPI | used from 1197 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 070/19 -5° | 100/16 -7° | 080/10 -8° | 130/8 -19° | 170/37 -28° | 200/50 -40° | 210/43 -40° | 220/41 -42° | |
| GEG | used from 1296 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 080/16 -2° | 050/17 -7° | 080/9 -10° | 190/33 -21° | 180/31 -32° | L/V -35° | L/V -37° | 270/8 -40° | |
| YKM | used from 1446 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 070/10 | 040/15 -1° | 020/27 -8° | 030/25 -13° | 020/48 -20° | 010/83 -27° | 010/77 -37° | 010/49 -40° | 350/14 -41° |
| SEA | used from 1496 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 050/7 | 050/11 1° | 050/12 -5° | 030/31 -7° | 010/61 -15° | 010/69 -26° | 360/73 -40° | 360/62 -47° | 330/21 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | departure | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 7 mi | none | 793 ft | 2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC) |
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 40 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| EAU Eau Claire, WI | 279 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 913 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| STP St Paul, MN | 349 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 705 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| MOX Morris, MN | 479 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 7 knots | 6 mi | none | 1,135 ft | 07:05 UTC |
| BIS Bismarck, ND | 688 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet Weather: light rain | from the east-northeast (060°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 1,661 ft | 06:52 UTC |
| GDV Glendive, MT | 858 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: rain | from the northeast (050°) at 12 knots | 8 mi | 400 ft | 2,458 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| JDN Jordan, MT | 947 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 knots | none | 2,667 ft | 06:48 UTC | |
| GTF Great Falls, MT | 1127 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 knots | 5 mi | 1,200 ft | 3,680 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| GEG Spokane, WA | 1376 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 2,385 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 1446 nm out, 24 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet | from the north (010°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,188 ft | 06:52 UTC |
| BFI Seattle, WA | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 21 ft | 11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,680 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BFI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:51 pm PDT (19:51 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for BFI
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for GRR, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC) and 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, mist, overcast at 3,500 feet (thunderheads)
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 12 nm from the route, 369 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at BFI 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:56 pm PDT (01:56 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: Gerald R Ford International, Boeing Fld/King County International.