Kansas City International to Jackson Hole Airport MCI → JAC
765 nautical miles (880 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 295°, about 293° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (18,000 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 11:12 am MDT (17:12 UTC). Right now MCI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22; JAC is VFR, wind calm. 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 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 first 338 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 377 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 route from 447 to 636 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 477 to 636 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 516 to 616 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Near the route, 606 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 616 nm along the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 129 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 MCI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- BE9L at 17,000 ft, 13 nm northeast, 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC): light rime icing from 15,000 ft to 17,000 ft, 0 °C, remarks: zdvwc. 596 nm along the route, 13 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CPR UA /OV DDY250025/TM 0942/FL170/TP BE9L/TA 00/IC LGT RIME 150-170/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through CPR
- Where
- 25 nm west (250°) of DDY
- Time
- 09:42 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE9L
- Temperature
- 0 °C
- Icing
- light rime from 15,000 ft to 17,000 ft
- Remarks
- zdvwc
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 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 (MKC, GRI, BFF, LND). 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 | 250° at 31 kt | +23 kt | 23 °C | 97 kt | 7 h 53 min | 11:56 am MDT (17:56 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | +21 kt | 21 °C | 99 kt | 7 h 44 min | 11:47 am MDT (17:47 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 25 kt | +17 kt | 10 °C | 103 kt | 7 h 26 min | 11:29 am MDT (17:29 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +16 kt | 7 °C | 104 kt | 7 h 21 min | 11:24 am MDT (17:24 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 30 kt | +15 kt | 3 °C | 105 kt | 7 h 17 min | 11:20 am MDT (17:20 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | +14 kt | -2 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 13 min | 11:16 am MDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | +14 kt | -7 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 13 min | 11:16 am MDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 35 kt | +13 kt | -10 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 09 min | 11:12 am MDT (17:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 47 kt | +20 kt | -22 °C | 100 kt | 7 h 39 min | 11:42 am MDT (17:42 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 55 kt | +34 kt | -32 °C | 86 kt | 8 h 54 min | 12:57 pm MDT (18:57 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 55 kt | +37 kt | -36 °C | 83 kt | 9 h 13 min | 1:16 pm MDT (19:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 53 kt | +38 kt | -45 °C | 82 kt | 9 h 20 min | 1:23 pm MDT (19:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKC | used from 0 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 240/49 | 240/21 20° | 220/19 13° | 230/21 6° | 260/26 -7° | 250/37 -19° | 270/66 -31° | 270/65 -38° | 280/60 -48° |
| GRI | used from 99 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 230/39 23° | 230/32 15° | 210/29 7° | 230/31 -8° | 230/43 -21° | 250/52 -31° | 260/59 -35° | 260/59 -46° | |
| BFF | used from 298 nm out; 111 nm from the line | 280/28 | 260/39 11° | 240/34 5° | 210/38 -11° | 210/52 -22° | 230/61 -31° | 230/61 -36° | 240/56 -45° | |
| LND | used from 546 nm out; 99 nm from the line | 240/10 3° | 240/30 0° | 220/42 -13° | 230/52 -23° | 220/54 -33° | 220/52 -36° | 220/53 -44° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCI Kansas City, MO | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 1,027 ft | 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC) |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 20 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| FBY Fairbury, NE | 129 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,478 ft | ||||
| HSI Hastings, NE | 189 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 1,961 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| LBF North Platte, NE | 298 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,777 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| OKS Oshkosh, NE | 367 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 3,394 ft | ||||
| TOR Torrington, WY | 457 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the north (360°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,206 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| GUR Guernsey, WY | 487 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,401 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| CPR Casper, WY | 576 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 20 knots, gusting to 26 | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 5,344 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| RIW Riverton, WY | 655 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,516 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| DUB Dubois, WY | 715 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | VFR | from the west-northwest (290°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,298 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| JAC Jackson, WY | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,800 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet Weather: light rain | calm | 10+ mi | 3,800 ft | 6,451 ft | 3:56 am MDT (09:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,298 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At JAC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:12 am MDT (17:12 UTC)
Wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for JAC
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am MDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet
The forecast for MCI, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 20, 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-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
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 MCI 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC), at JAC 6:43 pm MDT (00:43 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:12 pm MDT (01:12 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: Kansas City International, Jackson Hole Airport.