John F Kennedy International to Nantucket Memorial JFK → ACK
173 nautical miles (199 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 076°, about 089° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13W). At 120 knots that is 51 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 84-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:34 am EDT (07:34 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now JFK is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots; ACK is low IFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) 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: 572 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 E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Near the route, 105 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120555 MKCE WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E VALID UNTIL 0755Z NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.
- 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 whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 77 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 105 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: 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 58 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 JFK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 at 800 ft, 1 nm southeast, 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC): a broken layer, remarks: bases at at 80,000 ft and tops 1500. At the departure end, 1 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
JFK UA /OV JFK 2 MILES SOUTHEAST/TM 0551/FL008/TP B763/SK BKN/RM BASES AT 800 AND TOPS 1500
- Report
- a routine report filed through JFK
- Where
- jfk 2 miles southeast
- Time
- 05:51 UTC
- Height
- at 800 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- a broken layer
- Remarks
- bases at at 80,000 ft and tops 1500
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 (JFK, BDL, ACK). 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 | 230° at 16 kt | −14 kt | 134 kt | 1 h 17 min | 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 260° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 145 kt | 1 h 12 min | 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 270° at 30 kt | −29 kt | 12 °C | 149 kt | 1 h 10 min | 3:53 am EDT (07:53 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 32 kt | −32 kt | 8 °C | 152 kt | 1 h 08 min | 3:51 am EDT (07:51 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 35 kt | −35 kt | 5 °C | 155 kt | 1 h 07 min | 3:50 am EDT (07:50 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 37 kt | −37 kt | 0 °C | 157 kt | 1 h 06 min | 3:49 am EDT (07:49 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 39 kt | −39 kt | -4 °C | 159 kt | 1 h 05 min | 3:48 am EDT (07:48 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 42 kt | −40 kt | -8 °C | 160 kt | 1 h 05 min | 3:48 am EDT (07:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 42 kt | −41 kt | -9 °C | 161 kt | 1 h 04 min | 3:47 am EDT (07:47 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 49 kt | −44 kt | -19 °C | 164 kt | 1 h 03 min | 3:46 am EDT (07:46 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 78 kt | −72 kt | -32 °C | 192 kt | 54 min | 3:37 am EDT (07:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 92 kt | −84 kt | -41 °C | 204 kt | 51 min | 3:34 am EDT (07:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 87 kt | −81 kt | -52 °C | 201 kt | 52 min | 3:35 am EDT (07:35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFK | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 250/18 | 250/23 14° | 240/33 9° | 240/33 4° | 240/38 -10° | 240/45 -21° | 230/86 -32° | 230/102 -40° | 230/84 -51° |
| BDL | used from 48 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 120/24 | 290/23 12° | 280/21 8° | 250/36 3° | 250/41 -11° | 230/48 -21° | 230/78 -32° | 230/96 -41° | 230/86 -52° |
| ACK | used from 96 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 230/29 | 270/37 16° | 270/38 10° | 270/40 4° | 240/46 -8° | 230/52 -17° | 240/74 -31° | 240/83 -41° | 240/91 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JFK New York, NY | departure | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 13 ft | 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC) |
| FRG Farmingdale, NY | 19 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 8 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 81 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| FOK Westhampton Beach, NY | 58 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet | from the north (010°) at 11 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 66 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| BID Block Island, RI | 105 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 13 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 107 ft | 06:08 UTC |
| MVY Vineyard Haven, MA | 153 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain | from the north-northeast (030°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 300 ft | 66 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| ACK Nantucket, MA | destination | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 1.25 mi | 200 ft | 46 ft | 2:37 am EDT (06:37 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 107 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ACK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:34 am EDT (07:34 UTC)
Wind from the east at 16 knots, gusting to 23, visibility 3 miles, rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for ACK
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the east at 16 knots, gusting to 23, visibility 3 miles, rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 13 knots, gusting to 18, visibility 2 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 800 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
The forecast for JFK, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 5/2811 NEW YORK, NY, Monday, October 20, 2025 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Local 11 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 20 October · ZNY
Daylight
Sunset at JFK 6:19 pm EDT (22:19 UTC), at ACK 6:04 pm EDT (22:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ACK is before sunrise there (6:48 am EDT (10:48 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: John F Kennedy International, Nantucket Memorial.