North Platte Rgnl/Lee Bird Field to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport LBF → MSP
397 nautical miles (457 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 053°, about 047° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 50-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:26 am CDT (05:26 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LBF is VFR, wind from the east (100°) at 10 knots; MSP is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 8 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 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 first 0 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 LBF.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- UAL1340 at 40,000 ft, 22 nm south, 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, wind 244° at 70 knots. At the departure end, 22 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1340 4046N 10049W 0018 F400 244/070KT TB OCNL MOD CHOP IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- B789 at 40,000 ft, 37 nm southwest, 7:22 pm CDT (00:22 UTC): light to moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the departure end, 37 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SNY UA /OV SNY088072/TM 0022/FL400/TP B789/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CAT /RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through SNY
- Where
- 72 nm east (088°) of SNY
- Time
- 00:22 UTC
- Height
- at 40,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B789
- Turbulence
- occasional light to moderate clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zdvwc
- B789 at 40,000 ft, 31 nm southwest, 7:22 pm CDT (00:22 UTC): light to moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the departure end, 31 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SNY UA /OV SNY088081/TM 0022/FL400/TP B789/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CAT/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through SNY
- Where
- 81 nm east (088°) of SNY
- Time
- 00:22 UTC
- Height
- at 40,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B789
- Turbulence
- occasional light to moderate clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zdvwc
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 4 forecast points nearest it (GRI, ONL, FSD, MSP). 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 | 220° at 19 kt | −18 kt | 138 kt | 2 h 53 min | 12:59 am CDT (05:59 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | −29 kt | 20 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 40 min | 12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −27 kt | 16 °C | 147 kt | 2 h 42 min | 12:48 am CDT (05:48 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 12 °C | 144 kt | 2 h 45 min | 12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | −20 kt | 7 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 50 min | 12:56 am CDT (05:56 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | −21 kt | 2 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 49 min | 12:55 am CDT (05:55 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | −22 kt | -3 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 48 min | 12:54 am CDT (05:54 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | −23 kt | -8 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 47 min | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 24 kt | −24 kt | -9 °C | 144 kt | 2 h 45 min | 12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 31 kt | −30 kt | -20 °C | 150 kt | 2 h 39 min | 12:45 am CDT (05:45 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 44 kt | −42 kt | -35 °C | 162 kt | 2 h 27 min | 12:33 am CDT (05:33 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 51 kt | −45 kt | -41 °C | 165 kt | 2 h 24 min | 12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 56 kt | −50 kt | -48 °C | 170 kt | 2 h 20 min | 12:26 am CDT (05:26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRI | used from 0 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| ONL | used from 50 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| FSD | used from 199 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| MSP | used from 298 nm out; 74 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LBF North Platte, NE | departure | VFR | from the east (100°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,777 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
| BUB Burwell, NE | 79 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 2,183 ft | ||||
| ONL O'Neill, NE | 119 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the north (010°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,033 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| YKN Yankton, SD | 179 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,305 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 229 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| MWM Windom, MN | 298 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the north-northwest (330°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,410 ft | 03:01 UTC |
| ULM New Ulm, MN | 338 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,011 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| GYL Glencoe, MN | 358 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 992 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 841 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,777 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:26 am CDT (05:26 UTC)
Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSP
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
The forecast for LBF, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the east at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at LBF 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSP is before sunrise there (7:24 am CDT (12:24 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
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: North Platte Rgnl/Lee Bird Field, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.