Harrisburg International to Norfolk International MDT → ORF
200 nautical miles (230 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 172°, about 183° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:47 am EDT (04:47 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MDT is marginal VFR, wind variable at 3 knots; ORF is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20. 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 140 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 110 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 13,000 ft. Near the route, 20 nm along 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 MDT.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 3 forecast points nearest it (PSB, RIC, ORF). 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 | 270° at 16 kt | −3 kt | 13 °C | 123 kt | 1 h 38 min | 12:47 am EDT (04:47 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 270° at 16 kt | −1 kt | 11 °C | 121 kt | 1 h 39 min | 12:48 am EDT (04:48 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +1 kt | 8 °C | 119 kt | 1 h 41 min | 12:50 am EDT (04:50 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +5 kt | 6 °C | 115 kt | 1 h 44 min | 12:53 am EDT (04:53 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +9 kt | 3 °C | 111 kt | 1 h 48 min | 12:57 am EDT (04:57 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +11 kt | -1 °C | 109 kt | 1 h 50 min | 12:59 am EDT (04:59 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 30 kt | +14 kt | -5 °C | 106 kt | 1 h 53 min | 1:02 am EDT (05:02 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 33 kt | +15 kt | -8 °C | 105 kt | 1 h 54 min | 1:03 am EDT (05:03 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 48 kt | +29 kt | -19 °C | 91 kt | 2 h 12 min | 1:21 am EDT (05:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 64 kt | +39 kt | -32 °C | 81 kt | 2 h 28 min | 1:37 am EDT (05:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 72 kt | +40 kt | -40 °C | 80 kt | 2 h 30 min | 1:39 am EDT (05:39 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 62 kt | +30 kt | -50 °C | 90 kt | 2 h 13 min | 1:22 am EDT (05:22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSB | used from 0 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 360/13 13° | 330/14 7° | 300/11 3° | 290/12 -11° | 240/23 -23° | 270/25 -36° | 250/34 -40° | 250/45 -48° | |
| RIC | used from 50 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 270/23 | 280/19 11° | 270/18 8° | 240/22 4° | 230/39 -7° | 220/55 -18° | 220/75 -30° | 230/83 -39° | 230/64 -50° |
| ORF | used from 150 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 250/24 | 230/32 11° | 220/37 10° | 220/37 6° | 230/47 -5° | 230/62 -17° | 220/89 -30° | 220/93 -40° | 230/77 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDT Harrisburg, PA | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: light rain | variable at 3 knots | 7 mi | 1,000 ft | 310 ft | 10:56 pm EDT (02:56 UTC) |
| THV York, PA | 20 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots | 3 mi | 400 ft | 494 ft | 02:41 UTC |
| BWI Baltimore, MD | 60 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the east-northeast (060°) at 8 knots | 5 mi | 400 ft | 143 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| CGE Cambridge, MD | 100 nm out, 21 nm east of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 19 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| PHF Newport News, VA | 180 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 42 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| ORF Norfolk, VA | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,400 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 26 ft | 10:51 pm EDT (02:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 494 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ORF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:47 am EDT (04:47 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ORF
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
The forecast for MDT, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 7 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 4 nm from the route, 60 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 11 nm from the route, 80 nm along the route · security · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at MDT 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC), at ORF 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm EDT (22:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORF is before sunrise there (7:09 am EDT (11:09 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: Harrisburg International, Norfolk International.