Blue Grass Airport to Chicago Midway International LEX → MDW
268 nautical miles (308 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 328°, about 332° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 5:14 am CDT (10:14 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LEX is low IFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) 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: 3 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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 248 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 LEX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B752 climbing, 23 nm east, 3:37 am EDT (07:37 UTC): overcast. 59 nm along the route, 23 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 0737/FLDURC/TP B752/SK B001 OVC T015
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVG
- Where
- 5 west cvg
- Time
- 07:37 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- B752
- Sky
- B001 overcast T015
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 39 nm southwest, 3:05 am EDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 238 nm along the route, 39 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- 23 nm north (010°) of RBS
- Time
- 07:05 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
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 westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even 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 (LOU, CVG, IND, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | +17 kt | 103 kt | 2 h 36 min | 5:17 am CDT (10:17 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 15 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 42 min | 5:23 am CDT (10:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 11 °C | 100 kt | 2 h 41 min | 5:22 am CDT (10:22 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 17 kt | +17 kt | 6 °C | 103 kt | 2 h 36 min | 5:17 am CDT (10:17 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 15 kt | +15 kt | 2 °C | 105 kt | 2 h 33 min | 5:14 am CDT (10:14 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | +18 kt | -1 °C | 102 kt | 2 h 38 min | 5:19 am CDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | +21 kt | -4 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 42 min | 5:23 am CDT (10:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 24 kt | +23 kt | -7 °C | 97 kt | 2 h 46 min | 5:27 am CDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 32 kt | +32 kt | -19 °C | 88 kt | 3 h 03 min | 5:44 am CDT (10:44 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 45 kt | +45 kt | -34 °C | 75 kt | 3 h 34 min | 6:15 am CDT (11:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 59 kt | +59 kt | -42 °C | 61 kt | 4 h 24 min | 7:05 am CDT (12:05 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 53 kt | +52 kt | -50 °C | 68 kt | 3 h 56 min | 6:37 am CDT (11:37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOU | used from 0 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| CVG | used from 50 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| IND | used from 99 nm out; 13 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| JOT | used from 198 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEX Lexington, KY | departure | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 979 ft | 2:56 am EDT (06:56 UTC) |
| OVO North Vernon, IN | 79 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 757 ft | ||||
| BAK Columbus, IN | 99 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 01:45 UTC |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 178 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | low IFR Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | none | 605 ft | 07:36 UTC |
| MCX Monticello, IN | 188 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 678 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 248 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 596 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 619 ft | 1:53 am CDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 979 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:14 am CDT (10:14 UTC)
Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MDW
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for LEX, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility ½ mile, fog, clear skies
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ¼ mile, fog, overcast at 100 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 25 nm from the route, 50 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at LEX 7:05 pm EDT (23:05 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MDW is before sunrise there (6:59 am CDT (11:59 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: Blue Grass Airport, Chicago Midway International.