Chicago Midway International to Lubbock Preston Smith International MDW → LBB
825 nautical miles (950 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 238°, about 242° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 01 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 2:30 pm CDT (19:30 UTC). Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots; LBB is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 10 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 756 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
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 9 forecast points nearest it (JOT, BRL, COU, MKC, ICT, OKC, GAG, AMA, LBB). 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 | 240° at 30 kt | +30 kt | 21 °C | 90 kt | 9 h 10 min | 3:39 pm CDT (20:39 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | +23 kt | 17 °C | 97 kt | 8 h 30 min | 2:59 pm CDT (19:59 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +18 kt | 14 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 05 min | 2:34 pm CDT (19:34 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | +17 kt | 9 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 01 min | 2:30 pm CDT (19:30 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +18 kt | 5 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 05 min | 2:34 pm CDT (19:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 1 °C | 99 kt | 8 h 20 min | 2:49 pm CDT (19:49 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 24 kt | +23 kt | -4 °C | 97 kt | 8 h 30 min | 2:59 pm CDT (19:59 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -7 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 41 min | 3:10 pm CDT (20:10 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 38 kt | +37 kt | -19 °C | 83 kt | 9 h 56 min | 4:25 pm CDT (21:25 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 60 kt | +53 kt | -31 °C | 67 kt | 12 h 19 min | 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 60 kt | +47 kt | -38 °C | 73 kt | 11 h 18 min | 5:47 pm CDT (22:47 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 57 kt | +39 kt | -49 °C | 81 kt | 10 h 11 min | 4:40 pm CDT (21:40 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; 4 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° |
| BRL | used from 99 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/19 17° | 260/15 11° | 270/16 3° | 290/23 -7° | 260/42 -20° | 270/52 -34° | 280/63 -39° | 290/64 -48° |
| COU | used from 199 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 250/36 | 260/14 16° | 250/5 12° | 260/12 6° | 260/24 -7° | 260/35 -19° | 280/58 -31° | 280/62 -40° | 290/60 -49° |
| MKC | used from 298 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 240/49 | 240/21 20° | 220/19 13° | 230/21 6° | 260/26 -7° | 250/37 -19° | 270/66 -31° | 270/65 -38° | 280/60 -48° |
| ICT | used from 447 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 230/45 | 240/33 21° | 230/23 14° | 230/22 7° | 240/29 -7° | 240/36 -20° | 260/78 -29° | 270/69 -36° | 270/56 -49° |
| OKC | used from 547 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 220/43 | 230/31 17° | 260/13 16° | 270/11 7° | 240/20 -6° | 250/32 -17° | 260/60 -28° | 280/50 -37° | 290/45 -50° |
| GAG | used from 646 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 240/35 22° | 240/27 14° | 230/25 6° | 240/38 -7° | 230/44 -19° | 250/73 -28° | 270/66 -37° | 270/58 -49° | |
| AMA | used from 696 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 230/32 | 230/28 14° | 230/27 7° | 230/38 -6° | 230/50 -17° | 250/69 -28° | 260/62 -37° | 270/65 -49° | |
| LBB | used from 746 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 220/25 21° | 230/20 15° | 220/20 7° | 230/36 -6° | 240/50 -15° | 240/59 -28° | 260/52 -37° | 260/45 -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: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 20 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 10:45 UTC |
| PIA Peoria, IL | 109 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 10:54 UTC |
| UIN Quincy, IL | 189 nm out, 9 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 768 ft | 10:54 UTC |
| MHL Marshall, MO | 298 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 778 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| BUM Butler, MO | 368 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 893 ft | ||||
| CNU Chanute, KS | 438 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,002 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| WDG Enid, OK | 567 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,167 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| CLK Clinton, OK | 646 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,615 ft | 11:35 UTC |
| CSM Burns Flat, OK | 666 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,922 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| PVW Plainview, TX | 805 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,374 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| LBB Lubbock, TX | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,282 ft | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,374 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LBB when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:30 pm CDT (19:30 UTC)
Wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for LBB
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 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
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 259 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at LBB 7:16 pm CDT (00:16 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:41 pm CDT (00:41 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, Lubbock Preston Smith International.