Plan a flight · Sun 9:44 pm CDT (02:44 UTC)

Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field to Laredo International LFT → LRD

424 nautical miles (488 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 250°, about 247° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 1-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:14 am CDT (06:14 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LFT is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots; LRD is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) 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: 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

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 LFT.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B789 at 27,000 ft, 11 nm southeast, 7:30 pm CDT (00:30 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zhu. 59 nm along the route, 11 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LFT UA /OV LLA270030/TM 0030/FL270/TP B789/TB MOD CAT/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through LFT
Where
30 nm west (270°) of LLA
Time
00:30 UTC
Height
at 27,000 ft
Aircraft
B789
Turbulence
moderate clear-air turbulence
Remarks
zhu
E75L at 27,000 ft, 17 nm north, 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC): remarks: zhu. 59 nm along the route, 17 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LCH UA /OV LCH08510/TM 0020/FL270/TP E75L/TB CONS CHOP/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through LCH
Where
LCH08510
Time
00:20 UTC
Height
at 27,000 ft
Aircraft
E75L
Turbulence
continuous chop
Remarks
zhu
B39M at 27,000 ft, 49 nm north, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 168 nm along the route, 49 nm north 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
B38M at 36,000 ft, 46 nm south, 7:26 pm CDT (00:26 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 237 nm along the route, 46 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CRP UA /OV CRP075080/TM 0026/FL360/TP B38M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through CRP
Where
80 nm east (075°) of CRP
Time
00:26 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
occasional light chop
Remarks
zhu

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 5 forecast points nearest it (LCH, HOU, PSX, CRP, LRD). 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	160° at 23 kt	0		120 kt	3 h 32 min	1:16 am CDT (06:16 UTC)
6,500 ft	160° at 21 kt	+2 kt	17 °C	118 kt	3 h 36 min	1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC)
8,500 ft	170° at 16 kt	+5 kt	15 °C	115 kt	3 h 41 min	1:25 am CDT (06:25 UTC)
10,500 ft	190° at 11 kt	+6 kt	12 °C	114 kt	3 h 43 min	1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC)
12,500 ft	210° at 9 kt	+7 kt	8 °C	113 kt	3 h 45 min	1:29 am CDT (06:29 UTC)
14,500 ft	230° at 9 kt	+8 kt	4 °C	112 kt	3 h 47 min	1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC)
16,500 ft	240° at 9 kt	+9 kt	-1 °C	111 kt	3 h 49 min	1:33 am CDT (06:33 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	250° at 10 kt	+10 kt	-4 °C	110 kt	3 h 51 min	1:35 am CDT (06:35 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	240° at 8 kt	+9 kt	-14 °C	111 kt	3 h 49 min	1:33 am CDT (06:33 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	310° at 14 kt	+6 kt	-29 °C	114 kt	3 h 43 min	1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 16 kt	+7 kt	-40 °C	113 kt	3 h 45 min	1:29 am CDT (06:29 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	340° at 22 kt	−1 kt	-52 °C	121 kt	3 h 30 min	1:14 am CDT (06:14 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
LCH	used from 0 nm out; 41 nm from the line	160/21	160/18 18°	180/13 12°	230/6 8°	280/10 -4°	260/13 -14°	310/29 -30°	320/32 -40°	330/33 -53°
HOU	used from 99 nm out; 57 nm from the line	160/22	150/27 19°	180/16 14°	250/7 9°	270/10 -5°	270/16 -13°	310/23 -29°	310/26 -40°	330/20 -52°
PSX	used from 197 nm out; 18 nm from the line	160/24	160/23 19°	180/14 15°	210/11 9°	240/8 -4°	250/8 -13°	320/14 -29°	300/16 -40°	340/17 -51°
CRP	used from 296 nm out; 29 nm from the line	150/24	180/19 19°	190/13 14°	200/14 9°	230/5 -4°	170/6 -14°	360/6 -29°	L/V -40°	350/18 -52°
LRD	used from 345 nm out; 54 nm from the line	150/27	170/24 17°	170/20 14°	180/12 10°	230/19 -4°	160/10 -14°	130/10 -28°	110/7 -39°	010/22 -51°

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
LFT Lafayette, LA	departure	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	40 ft	8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC)
LCH Lake Charles, LA	59 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	14 ft	01:53 UTC
BPT Beaumont/Port Arthur, TX	108 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	14 ft	01:53 UTC
GLS Galveston, TX	158 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,400 feet	from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	5 ft	12:46 UTC
LBX Angleton/Lake Jackson, TX	197 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line	VFR Weather: light rain	from the east-southeast (120°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	25 ft	01:53 UTC
PSX Palacios, TX	237 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the east-southeast (110°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	14 ft	01:53 UTC
VCT Victoria, TX	266 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,900 feet	from the east (100°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	115 ft	01:51 UTC
RFG Refugio, TX	306 nm out, 5 nm east of the line	no report just now				54 ft
ALI Alice, TX	345 nm out, 20 nm south of the line	VFR	from the east-southeast (120°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	178 ft	01:53 UTC
LRD Laredo, TX	destination	VFR	from the east-southeast (120°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	508 ft	8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 508 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At LRD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:14 am CDT (06:14 UTC)

Wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for LRD

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
At times between Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,500 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 16 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet

The forecast for LFT, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

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 LFT 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC), at LRD 7:12 pm CDT (00:12 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:35 pm CDT (00:35 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LRD is before sunrise there (7:36 am CDT (12:36 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

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field, Laredo International.