Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport to Chicago Midway International MEM → MDW
418 nautical miles (481 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 014°, about 015° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 13 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 10-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC). Right now MEM is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 9 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: 1,329 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
- BE33 at 4,500 ft, 41 nm southwest, 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC): clear from 4,500 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: ZME65. At the departure end, 41 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
UTA UA /OV UTA180015/TM 1305/FL045/TP BE33/SK SKC/RM ZME65
- Report
- a routine report filed through UTA
- Where
- 15 nm south (180°) of UTA
- Time
- 13:05 UTC
- Height
- at 4,500 ft
- Aircraft
- BE33
- Sky
- clear
- Remarks
- ZME65
- B737 at 36,000 ft, 44 nm east, 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 169 nm along the route, 44 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
EVV UA /OV PXV225030/TM 1114/FL360/TP B737/TB NEG/RM ZME33
- Report
- a routine report filed through EVV
- Where
- 30 nm southwest (225°) of PXV
- Time
- 11:14 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZME33
- B39M at 36,000 ft, 28 nm north, 8:18 am CDT (13:18 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination end, 28 nm north 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
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 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 (MEM, CGI, EVV, SPI, JOT). 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 | 260° at 23 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 3 h 13 min | 12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 3 h 14 min | 12:21 pm CDT (17:21 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −8 kt | 13 °C | 128 kt | 3 h 16 min | 12:23 pm CDT (17:23 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | −7 kt | 9 °C | 127 kt | 3 h 17 min | 12:24 pm CDT (17:24 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | −7 kt | 6 °C | 127 kt | 3 h 17 min | 12:24 pm CDT (17:24 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | −6 kt | 3 °C | 126 kt | 3 h 19 min | 12:26 pm CDT (17:26 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 270° at 23 kt | −5 kt | -2 °C | 125 kt | 3 h 21 min | 12:28 pm CDT (17:28 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 270° at 26 kt | −5 kt | -6 °C | 125 kt | 3 h 21 min | 12:28 pm CDT (17:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 27 kt | −4 kt | -7 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 22 min | 12:29 pm CDT (17:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 32 kt | −2 kt | -19 °C | 122 kt | 3 h 26 min | 12:33 pm CDT (17:33 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 41 kt | 0 | -32 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 29 min | 12:36 pm CDT (17:36 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 55 kt | +3 kt | -41 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 34 min | 12:41 pm CDT (17:41 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 54 kt | +15 kt | -50 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 59 min | 1:06 pm CDT (18:06 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEM | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 250/19 | 260/19 17° | 270/20 12° | 270/16 6° | 270/21 -6° | 290/27 -17° | 300/37 -30° | 300/49 -40° | 310/40 -51° |
| CGI | used from 50 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| EVV | used from 199 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 270/25 | 290/17 15° | 260/10 8° | 270/16 5° | 280/29 -6° | 280/33 -19° | 290/38 -33° | 300/53 -41° | 310/54 -51° |
| SPI | used from 249 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 260/28 | 250/22 15° | 250/14 9° | 260/20 6° | 280/27 -7° | 280/34 -19° | 280/48 -32° | 280/59 -41° | 300/60 -49° |
| JOT | used from 348 nm out; 28 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° |
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 Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 340 ft | 8:54 am CDT (13:54 UTC) |
| NQA Millington, TN | 20 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 322 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| HKA Blytheville, AR | 50 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | reported, no category | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots | none | 255 ft | 13:53 UTC | |
| EIW New Madrid, MO | 90 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 295 ft | ||||
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 129 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 341 ft | 14:03 UTC | |
| MWA Marion, IL | 169 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 10,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 471 ft | 13:45 UTC |
| SLO Salem, IL | 219 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 573 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 289 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 13:54 UTC |
| CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL | 309 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| DTG Dwight, IL | 368 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 632 ft | ||||
| IKK Kankakee, IL | 378 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 629 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 619 ft | 8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 754 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MDW
- 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
The forecast for MEM, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 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 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport, Chicago Midway International.