William P Hobby Airport to Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport HOU → MEM
421 nautical miles (484 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 038°, about 035° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 06 min at the quickest height in today's winds (9,500 ft, a 16-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now HOU is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 7 knots; MEM is VFR, wind from the south (170°) 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: 1,655 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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 HOU.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 27,000 ft, 15 nm northwest, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the departure end, 15 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV IH340035/TM 0042/FL270/TP B39M/TB LT CHOP DURC/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- IH340035
- Time
- 00:42 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- lt chop during the climb
- Remarks
- zhu
- A319 at 39,000 ft, 2 nm south, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the destination end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
- Report
- a routine report filed through MEM
- Where
- over MEM
- Time
- 23:11 UTC
- Height
- at 39,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Turbulence
- no chop
- Remarks
- smooth
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 5 forecast points nearest it (HOU, LCH, SHV, LIT, MEM). 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 | 210° at 10 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 3 h 14 min | 12:08 am CDT (05:08 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 12 kt | −11 kt | 131 kt | 3 h 13 min | 12:07 am CDT (05:07 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 14 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 07 min | 12:01 am CDT (05:01 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −16 kt | 11 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 06 min | 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −13 kt | 8 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 10 min | 12:04 am CDT (05:04 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 270° at 15 kt | −10 kt | 4 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 14 min | 12:08 am CDT (05:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 15 kt | −7 kt | 0 °C | 127 kt | 3 h 19 min | 12:13 am CDT (05:13 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 15 kt | −4 kt | -4 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 24 min | 12:18 am CDT (05:18 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 15 kt | −3 kt | -5 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 25 min | 12:19 am CDT (05:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 20 kt | −1 kt | -16 °C | 121 kt | 3 h 29 min | 12:23 am CDT (05:23 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 37 kt | 0 | -31 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 30 min | 12:24 am CDT (05:24 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 37 kt | +3 kt | -41 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 36 min | 12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 40 kt | +3 kt | -52 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 36 min | 12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 160/18 | 160/14 17° | 180/19 12° | 190/11 8° | 260/12 -4° | 260/14 -13° | 310/26 -30° | 310/30 -40° | 320/21 -52° |
| LCH | used from 49 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 190/6 | 180/8 18° | 170/13 12° | 220/12 7° | 290/10 -4° | 280/15 -14° | 320/30 -31° | 320/32 -40° | 320/39 -53° |
| SHV | used from 98 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 190/11 | 230/19 17° | 230/26 12° | 260/15 7° | 280/16 -4° | 300/17 -15° | 300/34 -30° | 300/31 -41° | 310/42 -52° |
| LIT | used from 245 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 220/12 | 250/12 17° | 250/18 12° | 260/22 6° | 310/14 -5° | 310/25 -17° | 310/40 -31° | 310/38 -41° | 310/46 -52° |
| MEM | used from 343 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 240/9 | 280/14 17° | 280/20 12° | 290/25 5° | 320/25 -6° | 330/31 -18° | 320/52 -32° | 330/58 -41° | 320/42 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU Houston, TX | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
| HPY Baytown, TX | 20 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 33 ft | ||||
| JAS Jasper, TX | 98 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | VFR | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 212 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| IER Natchitoches, LA | 166 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 121 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 235 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| CRT Crossett, AR | 274 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 183 ft | ||||
| GLH Greenville, MS | 313 nm out, 24 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 130 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| CKM Clarksdale, MS | 372 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 173 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| UTA Tunica, MS | 392 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots | 9 mi | none | 194 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| MEM Memphis, TN | destination | VFR | from the south (170°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 340 ft | 7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 340 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MEM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MEM
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
The forecast for HOU, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): light rain showers
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 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 HOU 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC), at MEM 6:29 pm CDT (23:29 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MEM is before sunrise there (7:03 am CDT (12:03 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
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: William P Hobby Airport, Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport.