Plan a flight · Sun 8:14 pm CDT (01:14 UTC)

Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport to Laredo International MEM → LRD

662 nautical miles (762 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 230°, about 231° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 4-knot headwind), arriving about 1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MEM is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 4 knots; LRD is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) 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: 214 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

No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.

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 MEM.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

A320 at 26,500 ft, 40 nm northwest, 5:46 pm CDT (22:46 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: ZFW86. 287 nm along the route, 40 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GGG UA /OV GGG/TM 2246/FL265/TP A320/TB MOD CAT/RM ZFW86
```
Report
a routine report filed through GGG
Where
over GGG
Time
22:46 UTC
Height
at 26,500 ft
Aircraft
A320
Turbulence
moderate clear-air turbulence
Remarks
ZFW86
A319 at 39,000 ft, 2 nm south, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through MEM
Where
over MEM
Time
23:11 UTC
Height
at 39,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Turbulence
no chop
Remarks
smooth
PC12 at 24,000 ft, 23 nm southeast, 5:28 pm CDT (22:28 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZFW28. 138 nm along the route, 23 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LLQ UA /OV 17 S MON/TM 2228/FL240/TP PC12/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZFW28
```
Report
a routine report filed through LLQ
Where
17 south mon
Time
22:28 UTC
Height
at 24,000 ft
Aircraft
PC12
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
ZFW28
B39M at 27,000 ft, 47 nm southeast, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 405 nm along the route, 47 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IAH UA /OV IH340035/TM 0042/FL270/TP B39M/TB LT CHOP DURC/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through IAH
Where
IH340035
Time
00:42 UTC
Height
at 27,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
lt chop during the climb
Remarks
zhu
E120 at 27,000 ft, 7 nm northwest, 5:28 pm CDT (22:28 UTC): remarks: a/c reported smooth in the out of KLRD zhu. 613 nm along the route, 7 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
COT UA /OV COT140020/TM 2228/FL270/TP E120/RM A/C RPTD SMOOTH IN THE OUT OF KLRD. ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through COT
Where
20 nm southeast (140°) of COT
Time
22:28 UTC
Height
at 27,000 ft
Aircraft
E120
Remarks
a/c reported smooth in the out of KLRD zhu

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 6 forecast points nearest it (MEM, LIT, SHV, CLL, SAT, LRD). 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	180° at 12 kt	+9 kt		111 kt	5 h 58 min	2:12 am CDT (07:12 UTC)
6,500 ft	200° at 14 kt	+13 kt	16 °C	107 kt	6 h 11 min	2:25 am CDT (07:25 UTC)
8,500 ft	210° at 17 kt	+17 kt	13 °C	103 kt	6 h 26 min	2:40 am CDT (07:40 UTC)
10,500 ft	230° at 15 kt	+15 kt	10 °C	105 kt	6 h 18 min	2:32 am CDT (07:32 UTC)
12,500 ft	240° at 13 kt	+13 kt	6 °C	107 kt	6 h 11 min	2:25 am CDT (07:25 UTC)
14,500 ft	260° at 13 kt	+12 kt	2 °C	108 kt	6 h 08 min	2:22 am CDT (07:22 UTC)
16,500 ft	270° at 14 kt	+11 kt	-2 °C	109 kt	6 h 04 min	2:18 am CDT (07:18 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	270° at 15 kt	+11 kt	-5 °C	109 kt	6 h 04 min	2:18 am CDT (07:18 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 15 kt	+9 kt	-15 °C	111 kt	5 h 58 min	2:12 am CDT (07:12 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 27 kt	+8 kt	-30 °C	112 kt	5 h 55 min	2:09 am CDT (07:09 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	300° at 27 kt	+7 kt	-40 °C	113 kt	5 h 52 min	2:06 am CDT (07:06 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 32 kt	+4 kt	-52 °C	116 kt	5 h 42 min	1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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
MEM	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	240/9	280/14 17°	280/20 12°	290/25 5°	320/25 -6°	330/31 -18°	320/52 -32°	330/58 -41°	320/42 -50°
LIT	used from 49 nm out; 62 nm from the line	220/12	250/12 17°	250/18 12°	260/22 6°	310/14 -5°	310/25 -17°	310/40 -31°	310/38 -41°	310/46 -52°
SHV	used from 148 nm out; 75 nm from the line	190/11	230/19 17°	230/26 12°	260/15 7°	280/16 -4°	300/17 -15°	300/34 -30°	300/31 -41°	310/42 -52°
CLL	used from 346 nm out; 50 nm from the line	160/18	190/18 16°	200/19 12°	220/14 7°	260/18 -5°	250/20 -13°	290/29 -29°	290/31 -40°	300/22 -53°
SAT	used from 494 nm out; 52 nm from the line	130/22	140/24 18°	170/19 13°	190/13 7°	240/15 -4°	220/14 -13°	270/11 -28°	280/10 -40°	310/18 -51°
LRD	used from 593 nm out; 44 nm from the line	130/21	150/19 16°	170/21 12°	170/12 8°	230/20 -4°	200/16 -13°	L/V -28°	L/V -39°	330/16 -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
MEM Memphis, TN	departure	VFR	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	340 ft	7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC)
HEE Helena/West Helena, AR	40 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line	no report just now				241 ft
LLQ Monticello, AR	119 nm out, 7 nm south of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	267 ft	00:53 UTC
ELD El Dorado, AR	178 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	277 ft	00:53 UTC
SHV Shreveport, LA	247 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 30,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	30,000 ft	257 ft	00:56 UTC
OCH Nacogdoches, TX	316 nm out, 2 nm north of the line	reported, no category	from the east-southeast (120°) at 5 knots		none	343 ft	00:56 UTC
UTS Huntsville, TX	386 nm out, 5 nm east of the line	VFR	from the southeast (140°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	362 ft	00:53 UTC
CLL College Station, TX	415 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	320 ft	00:53 UTC
LRD Laredo, TX	destination	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	none	508 ft	7:56 pm CDT (00:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 508 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At LRD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC)

Wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for LRD

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
At times between Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,500 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 16 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet

The forecast for MEM, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 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 MEM 6:29 pm CDT (23:29 UTC), at LRD 7:12 pm CDT (00:12 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:35 pm CDT (00:35 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LRD is before sunrise there (7:36 am CDT (12:36 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

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport, Laredo International.