Chicago Midway International to Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International MDW → ATL
514 nautical miles (592 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 161°, about 165° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 42-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:10 am EDT (14:10 UTC). Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots; ATL is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (290°) 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: 6,932 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 route from 148 to 445 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 405 to 425 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 455 to 455 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 465 to 474 nm out.
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 MDW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A21N at 31,000 ft, 6 nm east, 5:33 am CDT (10:33 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the climb. 79 nm along the route, 6 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
LAF UA /OV BVT/TM 1033/FL310/TP A21N/TB NEG/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through LAF
- Where
- over BVT
- Time
- 10:33 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- during the climb
- CRJ9 at 1,000 ft, 12 nm west, 5:15 am CDT (10:15 UTC): remarks: during the climb runway 20 departure. 425 nm along the route, 12 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
CHA UA /OV CHA/TM 1015/FL010/TP CRJ9/SK TOP010/RM DURC. RY 20 DEPARTURE
- Report
- a routine report filed through CHA
- Where
- over CHA
- Time
- 10:15 UTC
- Height
- at 1,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ9
- Sky
- TOP010
- Remarks
- during the climb runway 20 departure
- B38M at 35,000 ft, 9 nm northeast, 5:04 am CDT (10:04 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: ztlfd 39. 445 nm along the route, 9 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ATL UA /OV GQO110025/TM 1004/FL350/TP B38M/TB LGT/RM ZTLFD 39
- Report
- a routine report filed through ATL
- Where
- 25 nm east (110°) of GQO
- Time
- 10:04 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- light
- Remarks
- ztlfd 39
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, LOU, BNA, TYS, ATL). 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 | 300° at 19 kt | −14 kt | 134 kt | 3 h 50 min | 10:50 am EDT (14:50 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | −18 kt | 138 kt | 3 h 43 min | 10:43 am EDT (14:43 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −18 kt | 12 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 43 min | 10:43 am EDT (14:43 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | −17 kt | 8 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 45 min | 10:45 am EDT (14:45 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 310° at 18 kt | −15 kt | 6 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 48 min | 10:48 am EDT (14:48 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | −16 kt | 2 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 47 min | 10:47 am EDT (14:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 22 kt | −18 kt | -2 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 43 min | 10:43 am EDT (14:43 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 25 kt | −20 kt | -5 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 40 min | 10:40 am EDT (14:40 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 26 kt | −21 kt | -6 °C | 141 kt | 3 h 39 min | 10:39 am EDT (14:39 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 29 kt | −22 kt | -19 °C | 142 kt | 3 h 37 min | 10:37 am EDT (14:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 34 kt | −25 kt | -34 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 33 min | 10:33 am EDT (14:33 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 48 kt | −42 kt | -42 °C | 162 kt | 3 h 10 min | 10:10 am EDT (14:10 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 49 kt | −41 kt | -51 °C | 161 kt | 3 h 12 min | 10:12 am EDT (14:12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| IND | used from 49 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 270/22 | 290/19 15° | 270/19 8° | 270/18 4° | 290/28 -7° | 280/35 -20° | 270/37 -34° | 300/51 -42° | 300/61 -51° |
| LOU | used from 198 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 300/16 | 310/19 15° | 310/17 9° | 300/15 4° | 300/26 -6° | 280/34 -19° | 290/30 -34° | 310/49 -42° | 310/58 -51° |
| BNA | used from 297 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| TYS | used from 346 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
| ATL | used from 445 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDW Chicago, IL | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC) |
| IGQ Chicago, IL | 20 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 619 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 89 nm out, 9 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 605 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 138 nm out, 24 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 796 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 168 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1.75 mi | none | 845 ft | 10:44 UTC |
| SDF Louisville, KY | 237 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (120°) at 4 knots | 6 mi | none | 500 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| GLW Glasgow, KY | 297 nm out, 11 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 716 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| TZV Tompkinsville, KY | 316 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,036 ft | ||||
| CSV Crossville, TN | 376 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 1,881 ft | 10:16 UTC |
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 425 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.13 mi | 200 ft | 682 ft | 10:13 UTC |
| RYY Atlanta, GA | 494 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,040 ft | 09:50 UTC |
| ATL Atlanta, GA | destination | VFR | from the west-northwest (290°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,026 ft | 5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,881 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ATL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:10 am EDT (14:10 UTC)
Wind from the west-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for ATL
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MDW, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer 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
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 MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at ATL 7:07 pm EDT (23:07 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:32 pm EDT (23:32 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: Chicago Midway International, Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International.