Chicago Midway International to Buffalo Niagara International MDW → BUF
406 nautical miles (467 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 077°, about 081° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 28-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:25 am EDT (10:25 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots; BUF is VFR, wind from the south (170°) 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: 1,628 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 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 30 to 238 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
- B738 at 1,700 ft, 47 nm south, 1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 168 nm along the route, 47 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over KTOL
- Time
- 06:20 UTC
- Height
- at 1,700 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent
- B738 at 1,800 ft, 47 nm south, 12:18 am CDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. 168 nm along the route, 47 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over KTOL
- Time
- 05:18 UTC
- Height
- at 1,800 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb
- B738 at 1,300 ft, 47 nm south, 11:45 pm CDT (04:45 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 168 nm along the route, 47 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0445/FL013/TP B738/SK OVC013-TOP030/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over KTOL
- Time
- 04:45 UTC
- Height
- at 1,300 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent
- A333 descending, 14 nm south, 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 198 nm along the route, 14 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
- Report
- a routine report filed through DTW
- Where
- over DTW
- Time
- 05:44 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A333
- Sky
- tops 2,500 ft
- B739 descending, 14 nm south, 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 198 nm along the route, 14 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
- Report
- a routine report filed through DTW
- Where
- over DTW
- Time
- 04:54 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B739
- Sky
- bases 1,100 ft
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (JOT, MKG, FWA, CLE, BUF). 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 12 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 3 h 09 min | 6:49 am EDT (10:49 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 13 kt | −5 kt | 125 kt | 3 h 15 min | 6:55 am EDT (10:55 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 13 kt | −4 kt | 11 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 16 min | 6:56 am EDT (10:56 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 13 kt | −4 kt | 7 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 16 min | 6:56 am EDT (10:56 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 340° at 12 kt | −3 kt | 4 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 18 min | 6:58 am EDT (10:58 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 330° at 15 kt | −5 kt | 0 °C | 125 kt | 3 h 15 min | 6:55 am EDT (10:55 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | −9 kt | -4 °C | 129 kt | 3 h 09 min | 6:49 am EDT (10:49 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −12 kt | -8 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 05 min | 6:45 am EDT (10:45 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 24 kt | −13 kt | -9 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 03 min | 6:43 am EDT (10:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 32 kt | −18 kt | -21 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 57 min | 6:37 am EDT (10:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 43 kt | −16 kt | -37 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 59 min | 6:39 am EDT (10:39 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 51 kt | −25 kt | -44 °C | 145 kt | 2 h 48 min | 6:28 am EDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 53 kt | −28 kt | -50 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 45 min | 6:25 am EDT (10:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 48 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° |
| MKG | used from 50 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| FWA | used from 99 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| CLE | used from 198 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| BUF | used from 297 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -50° |
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: 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) |
| MGC Michigan City, IN | 40 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 654 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| SBN South Bend, IN | 59 nm out, 18 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 798 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| AZO Kalamazoo, MI | 99 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 5 mi | none | 873 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| JXN Jackson, MI | 149 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line, tower | low IFR Weather: mist | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 0.75 mi | none | 1,000 ft | 07:22 UTC |
| ARB Ann Arbor, MI | 178 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 839 ft | 06:53 UTC | |
| DET Detroit, MI | 218 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the west (270°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 624 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| CYQS St Thomas, | 297 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 776 ft | ||||
| CYSN St Catharines, | 386 nm out, 17 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet | from the east (080°) at 6 knots | 15 mi | 5,000 ft | 321 ft | 01:00 UTC |
| BUF Buffalo, NY | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,400 feet, a broken layer at 14,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 14,000 ft | 726 ft | 2:54 am EDT (06:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,000 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BUF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:25 am EDT (10:25 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for BUF
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for MDW, the departure
- 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
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 BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BUF is before sunrise there (7:24 am EDT (11:24 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, Buffalo Niagara International.