Plan a flight · Mon 2:02 am EDT (06:02 UTC)

Gerald R Ford International to Buffalo Niagara International GRR → BUF

299 nautical miles (344 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 087°, about 093° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 54 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 37-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:56 am EDT (07:56 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now GRR is marginal VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots; BUF is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 3 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: 4 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 139 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

urgent B39M at 35,000 ft, 28 nm south, 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC): remarks: no inj/dmg zob. 239 nm along the route, 28 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DKK UUA /OV DKK280040/TM 0315/FL350/TP B39M/TB MTN WVE ACTN +/-5KTS/RM NO INJ/DMG ZOB
```
Report
an urgent report filed through DKK
Where
40 nm west (280°) of DKK
Time
03:15 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
mountain wve actn a 5-knot loss of airspeed
Remarks
no inj/dmg zob
A333 descending, 44 nm south, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 90 nm along the route, 44 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
05:44 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A333
Sky
tops 2,500 ft
B739 descending, 44 nm south, 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 90 nm along the route, 44 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 ft
A320 descending, 44 nm south, 11:27 pm EDT (03:27 UTC): overcast above 1,400 ft. 90 nm along the route, 44 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0327/FLDURD/TP A320/SK 014 OVC
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
03:27 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A320
Sky
at 1,400 ft overcast

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 3 forecast points nearest it (MKG, CLE, BUF). 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	300° at 10 kt	−9 kt		129 kt	2 h 19 min	4:21 am EDT (08:21 UTC)
5,500 ft	340° at 12 kt	−4 kt		124 kt	2 h 25 min	4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC)
7,500 ft	340° at 12 kt	−4 kt	10 °C	124 kt	2 h 25 min	4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC)
9,500 ft	340° at 12 kt	−4 kt	7 °C	124 kt	2 h 25 min	4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC)
11,500 ft	340° at 12 kt	−4 kt	4 °C	124 kt	2 h 25 min	4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC)
13,500 ft	330° at 15 kt	−7 kt	0 °C	127 kt	2 h 21 min	4:23 am EDT (08:23 UTC)
15,500 ft	330° at 20 kt	−10 kt	-5 °C	130 kt	2 h 18 min	4:20 am EDT (08:20 UTC)
17,500 ft	320° at 24 kt	−14 kt	-9 °C	134 kt	2 h 14 min	4:16 am EDT (08:16 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	320° at 25 kt	−14 kt	-10 °C	134 kt	2 h 14 min	4:16 am EDT (08:16 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 32 kt	−21 kt	-21 °C	141 kt	2 h 07 min	4:09 am EDT (08:09 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	330° at 44 kt	−22 kt	-37 °C	142 kt	2 h 06 min	4:08 am EDT (08:08 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 50 kt	−31 kt	-44 °C	151 kt	1 h 59 min	4:01 am EDT (08:01 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	320° at 54 kt	−37 kt	-51 °C	157 kt	1 h 54 min	3:56 am EDT (07:56 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; 58 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°
CLE	used from 100 nm out; 100 nm from the line	340/7	010/16 13°	350/18 8°	350/20 3°	340/31 -10°	340/46 -21°	340/54 -37°	330/62 -44°	340/65 -49°
BUF	used from 199 nm out; 75 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°

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	marginal VFR Weather: mist	from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots	4 mi	none	793 ft	1:53 am EDT (05:53 UTC)
LAN Lansing, MI	40 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower	VFR Weather: mist	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	6 mi	none	860 ft	05:53 UTC
FNT Flint, MI	80 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	782 ft	05:53 UTC
PTK Pontiac, MI	90 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	700 ft	980 ft	05:53 UTC
CYZR Sarnia,	139 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,500 feet Weather: mist	from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots	6 mi	1,500 ft	594 ft	05:21 UTC
CYQS St Thomas,	189 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line	no report just now				776 ft
CYSN St Catharines,	279 nm out, 15 nm north of the line	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet	from the east (080°) at 6 knots	15 mi	5,000 ft	321 ft	01:00 UTC
BUF Buffalo, NY	destination	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet, a broken layer at 14,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	14,000 ft	726 ft	1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 980 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At BUF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:56 am EDT (07:56 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for BUF

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet
From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 12,000 feet

The forecast for GRR, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, 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 5 miles, mist
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

No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.

Daylight

Sunset at GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BUF is before sunrise there (7:24 am EDT (11:24 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 central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Northeast · 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: Gerald R Ford International, Buffalo Niagara International.