Valley International to Columbia Regional HRL → COU
804 nautical miles (925 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 019°, about 016° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 21-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:07 pm CDT (17:07 UTC). Right now HRL is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots; COU is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 5 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 TANGO 2W: 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 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 HRL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A320 at 21,000 ft, 46 nm northwest, 5:45 am CDT (10:45 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 189 nm along the route, 46 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SAT UA /OV SAT090060/TM 1045/FL210/TP A320/TB OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through SAT
- Where
- 60 nm east (090°) of SAT
- Time
- 10:45 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zhu
- SF30 at 21,000 ft, 42 nm east, 4:35 am CDT (09:35 UTC): light rime icing, -10 °C, remarks: zhu. 248 nm along the route, 42 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV DAS02002/TM 0935/FL210/TP SF30/TA M10/IC LGT RIME/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- DAS02002
- Time
- 09:35 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- SF30
- Temperature
- −10 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- zhu
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 8 forecast points nearest it (BRO, CRP, PSX, CLL, SHV, FSM, SGF, COU). 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 21 kt | −21 kt | 141 kt | 5 h 42 min | 12:07 pm CDT (17:07 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 16 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 5 h 55 min | 12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 14 kt | −14 kt | 15 °C | 134 kt | 6 h | 12:25 pm CDT (17:25 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 13 kt | −12 kt | 12 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 05 min | 12:30 pm CDT (17:30 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 11 kt | −10 kt | 9 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 11 min | 12:36 pm CDT (17:36 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 12 kt | −9 kt | 4 °C | 129 kt | 6 h 14 min | 12:39 pm CDT (17:39 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 14 kt | −10 kt | 0 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 11 min | 12:36 pm CDT (17:36 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | −10 kt | -5 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 11 min | 12:36 pm CDT (17:36 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 16 kt | −10 kt | -6 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 11 min | 12:36 pm CDT (17:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 19 kt | −13 kt | -15 °C | 133 kt | 6 h 03 min | 12:28 pm CDT (17:28 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 31 kt | −2 kt | -30 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 35 min | 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 30 kt | +1 kt | -40 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 45 min | 1:10 pm CDT (18:10 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 33 kt | +16 kt | -51 °C | 104 kt | 7 h 44 min | 2:09 pm CDT (19:09 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRO | used from 0 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 160/15 | 160/15 18° | 170/11 14° | 150/7 9° | L/V -4° | 170/6 -15° | 100/15 -29° | 100/14 -41° | 040/26 -51° |
| CRP | used from 50 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 140/21 | 160/22 17° | 180/14 13° | 210/6 9° | 270/10 -5° | 200/8 -13° | L/V -29° | L/V -40° | 030/28 -51° |
| PSX | used from 149 nm out; 23 nm from the line | 160/24 | 190/17 17° | 200/10 15° | L/V 8° | 260/7 -5° | 220/10 -12° | 310/11 -30° | 320/13 -40° | 010/29 -51° |
| CLL | used from 199 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 180/24 | 170/21 19° | 180/10 14° | 230/7 8° | 230/16 -6° | 260/20 -13° | 290/23 -29° | 320/21 -39° | 340/35 -51° |
| SHV | used from 347 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 210/20 | 210/20 18° | 230/20 11° | 240/16 7° | 270/17 -7° | 250/11 -15° | 300/34 -30° | 310/34 -40° | 320/36 -51° |
| FSM | used from 496 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/33 | 260/23 15° | 240/23 11° | 230/18 8° | 230/20 -8° | 250/31 -17° | 280/51 -30° | 280/52 -39° | 300/47 -51° |
| SGF | used from 645 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 230/37 | 260/20 15° | 250/16 13° | 250/15 8° | 260/28 -7° | 250/31 -17° | 280/59 -31° | 280/59 -39° | 290/55 -50° |
| COU | used from 745 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 250/36 | 260/14 16° | 250/5 12° | 260/12 6° | 260/24 -7° | 260/35 -19° | 280/58 -31° | 280/62 -40° | 290/60 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRL Harlingen, TX | departure | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 36 ft | 5:52 am CDT (10:52 UTC) |
| VCT Victoria, TX | 159 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 feet, scattered clouds at 3,400 feet, scattered clouds at 4,300 feet | from the east (080°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 115 ft | 10:51 UTC |
| TME Houston, TX | 238 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 165 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| CLL College Station, TX | 268 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,700 feet | from the east (100°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 320 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| TYR Tyler, TX | 387 nm out, 9 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| OSA Mount Pleasant, TX | 437 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,400 feet, overcast at 2,300 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,300 ft | 364 ft | 15:10 UTC |
| DEQ De Queen, AR | 496 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 354 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| FSM Fort Smith, AR | 576 nm out, 22 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the northeast (050°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 469 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| BBG Branson, MO | 655 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,302 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| AIZ Kaiser/Lake Ozark, MO | 754 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| COU Columbia, MO | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,302 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At COU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:07 pm CDT (17:07 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for COU
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for HRL, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8926 Tyler, TX, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, 387 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZFW
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at HRL 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC), at COU 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 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: Valley International, Columbia Regional.