Chicago Midway International to Joe Foss Field MDW → FSD
411 nautical miles (473 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 288°, about 292° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 53 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 1:52 pm CDT (18:52 UTC). 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: 5 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 59 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 MDW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 36,000 ft, 22 nm northeast, 8:18 am CDT (13:18 UTC): no turbulence. 20 nm along the route, 22 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
PWK UA /OV OBK/TM 1318/FL360/TP B39M/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through PWK
- Where
- over OBK
- Time
- 13:18 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- none
- C510 at 17,000 ft, 50 nm north, 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC): no turbulence. 127 nm along the route, 50 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
LNR UA /OV LNR/TM 1327/FL170/TP C510/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through LNR
- Where
- over LNR
- Time
- 13:27 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C510
- Turbulence
- none
- PC12 at 20,000 ft, 50 nm north, 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC): no turbulence. 127 nm along the route, 50 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
LNR UA /OV 0WI4/TM 1327/FL200/TP PC12/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through LNR
- Where
- over 0WI4
- Time
- 13:27 UTC
- Height
- at 20,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Turbulence
- none
- B752 at 34,000 ft, 2 nm northeast, 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC): light chop turbulence. 157 nm along the route, 2 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
DBQ UA /OV DBQ300020/TM 1223/FL340/TP B752/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through DBQ
- Where
- 20 nm northwest (300°) of DBQ
- Time
- 12:23 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B752
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 37 nm south, 7:25 am CDT (12:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 176 nm along the route, 37 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
CID UA /OV CID360010/TM 1225/FL320/TP A321/TB INTMT LGT CHOP CONS LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through CID
- Where
- 10 nm north (360°) of CID
- Time
- 12:25 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- intermittent light chop continuous light chop
- P46T at 31,000 ft, 16 nm south, 8:37 am CDT (13:37 UTC): light chop turbulence. 215 nm along the route, 16 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ALO UA /OV ALO270005/TM 1337/FL310/TP P46T/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through ALO
- Where
- 5 nm west (270°) of ALO
- Time
- 13:37 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- P46T
- Turbulence
- intermittent light chop
- BE36 at 6,000 ft, 26 nm north, 8:12 am CDT (13:12 UTC): no turbulence. 313 nm along the route, 26 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
FRM UA /OV FRM/TM 1312/FL060/TP BE36/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through FRM
- Where
- over FRM
- Time
- 13:12 UTC
- Height
- at 6,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE36
- Turbulence
- none
- UAL1095 at 36,000 ft, 3 nm north, 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): no turbulence, -41 °C, wind 253° at 52 knots. At the destination end, 3 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1095 4338N 09646W 1300 F360 MS41 253/052KT TB NONE SK CLEAR IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 (JOT, DBQ, MCW, FSD). 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 | 230° at 23 kt | +14 kt | 106 kt | 3 h 53 min | 1:52 pm CDT (18:52 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +15 kt | 18 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 55 min | 1:54 pm CDT (18:54 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 31 kt | +21 kt | 13 °C | 99 kt | 4 h 09 min | 2:08 pm CDT (19:08 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 32 kt | +26 kt | 9 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 22 min | 2:21 pm CDT (19:21 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 33 kt | +29 kt | 4 °C | 91 kt | 4 h 31 min | 2:30 pm CDT (19:30 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 33 kt | +29 kt | -1 °C | 91 kt | 4 h 31 min | 2:30 pm CDT (19:30 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 33 kt | +30 kt | -6 °C | 90 kt | 4 h 34 min | 2:33 pm CDT (19:33 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 33 kt | +30 kt | -9 °C | 90 kt | 4 h 34 min | 2:33 pm CDT (19:33 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 41 kt | +38 kt | -21 °C | 82 kt | 5 h 01 min | 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 45 kt | +42 kt | -34 °C | 78 kt | 5 h 16 min | 3:15 pm CDT (20:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 53 kt | +52 kt | -37 °C | 68 kt | 6 h 03 min | 4:02 pm CDT (21:02 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 58 kt | +57 kt | -46 °C | 63 kt | 6 h 31 min | 4:30 pm CDT (21:30 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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 | 230/30 | 250/26 16° | 270/27 11° | 280/34 5° | 290/32 -8° | 280/37 -21° | 280/40 -36° | 290/46 -37° | 290/56 -47° |
| DBQ | used from 49 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/32 19° | 250/35 11° | 260/37 5° | 270/35 -9° | 270/40 -21° | 270/43 -35° | 280/49 -37° | 280/58 -46° |
| MCW | used from 196 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 220/19 | 210/29 20° | 230/35 13° | 250/35 5° | 250/33 -9° | 260/44 -21° | 260/46 -33° | 270/58 -37° | 270/59 -46° |
| FSD | used from 342 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 260/9 | 210/16 18° | 220/27 14° | 230/28 6° | 240/39 -9° | 240/48 -22° | 260/52 -32° | 260/61 -38° | 260/60 -46° |
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 | no report just now | 619 ft | ||||
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 20 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 758 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 68 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| FEP Freeport, IL | 88 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 859 ft | ||||
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 137 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| OLZ Oelwein, IA | 196 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 215 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 873 ft | ||||
| MCW Mason City, IA | 264 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,213 ft | ||||
| AXA Algona, IA | 303 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,216 ft | ||||
| ISB Sibley, IA | 362 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,537 ft | ||||
| RRQ Rock Rapids, IA | 382 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,363 ft | ||||
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | destination | no report just now | 1,430 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,537 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FSD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:52 pm CDT (18:52 UTC)
FSD has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 FSD 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 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, Joe Foss Field.