Chicago Midway International to Mahlon Sweet Field MDW → EUG
1,552 nautical miles (1,786 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 287°, about 291° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 14 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 7:31 pm PDT (02:31 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots; EUG is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 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: 2 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 route from 159 to 338 nm out.
- 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 route from 438 to 1254 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 826 to 1214 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 856 to 1423 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 1234 to 1244 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the route from 1234 to 1542 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
Not fetched just now.
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 12 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, MCW, FSD, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL, DLN, BOI, RDM, OTH). 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 | 260° at 15 kt | +13 kt | 6 °C | 107 kt | 14 h 30 min | 7:47 pm PDT (02:47 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | +13 kt | 10 °C | 107 kt | 14 h 30 min | 7:47 pm PDT (02:47 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 14 kt | +11 kt | 5 °C | 109 kt | 14 h 14 min | 7:31 pm PDT (02:31 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +13 kt | 1 °C | 107 kt | 14 h 30 min | 7:47 pm PDT (02:47 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +16 kt | -2 °C | 104 kt | 14 h 55 min | 8:12 pm PDT (03:12 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +15 kt | -6 °C | 105 kt | 14 h 47 min | 8:04 pm PDT (03:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +14 kt | -10 °C | 106 kt | 14 h 38 min | 7:55 pm PDT (02:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 18 kt | +14 kt | -13 °C | 106 kt | 14 h 38 min | 7:55 pm PDT (02:55 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 25 kt | +18 kt | -24 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 13 min | 8:30 pm PDT (03:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 31 kt | +27 kt | -34 °C | 93 kt | 16 h 41 min | 9:58 pm PDT (04:58 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 40 kt | +35 kt | -38 °C | 85 kt | 18 h 16 min | 11:33 pm PDT (06:33 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 45 kt | +41 kt | -45 °C | 79 kt | 19 h 39 min | 12:56 am PDT (07:56 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; 24 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° |
| DBQ | used from 50 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| MCW | used from 199 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| FSD | used from 348 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| PIR | used from 498 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| RAP | used from 647 nm out; 16 nm from the line | 250/28 16° | 260/31 10° | 240/25 4° | 210/35 -10° | 200/45 -23° | 230/47 -31° | 230/47 -36° | 230/51 -46° | |
| MLS | used from 796 nm out; 122 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 846 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| DLN | used from 995 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 190/10 -4° | 220/23 -4° | 210/21 -18° | 210/43 -28° | 210/60 -33° | 210/72 -37° | 210/67 -44° | ||
| BOI | used from 1194 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 320/11 1° | 280/8 -5° | 220/14 -11° | 200/60 -19° | 190/66 -31° | 210/46 -32° | 220/50 -33° | 220/43 -39° | |
| RDM | used from 1343 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 360/14 -2° | 020/25 -8° | 360/34 -13° | 360/75 -16° | 360/88 -25° | 360/80 -39° | 350/47 -42° | 360/11 -43° | |
| OTH | used from 1542 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 020/7 | 020/13 1° | 010/26 -4° | 360/41 -4° | 350/60 -13° | 350/65 -24° | 350/72 -40° | 350/68 -48° | 340/43 -47° |
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 7 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 20 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 758 ft | 11:52 UTC |
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 209 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 873 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 408 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| MHE Mitchell, SD | 468 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the north (010°) at 7 knots | 5 mi | 300 ft | 1,304 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 687 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: light rain, fog | from the east (100°) at 4 knots | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 3,203 ft | 12:03 UTC |
| GCC Gillette, WY | 796 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 900 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 16 knots, gusting to 21 | 5 mi | 600 ft | 4,365 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| COD Cody, WY | 945 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,600 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,600 ft | 5,102 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| LLJ Challis, ID | 1164 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,700 feet, a broken layer at 2,600 feet, overcast at 4,600 feet Weather: light rain | from the north (010°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,600 ft | 5,075 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| GCD John Day, OR | 1373 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, overcast at 4,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,500 ft | 3,702 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| RDM Redmond, OR | 1463 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 3,081 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| EUG Eugene, OR | destination | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 373 ft | 4:54 am PDT (11:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,102 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At EUG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:31 pm PDT (02:31 UTC)
Wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for EUG
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MDW, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 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 south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 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 EUG 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm PDT (02:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at EUG is after sunset there (6:34 pm PDT (01:34 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, Mahlon Sweet Field.