Kansas City Downtown/Wheeler Field to Palm Springs International MKC → PSP
1,102 nautical miles (1,268 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 260°, about 259° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 11 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 24-knot headwind), arriving about 11:31 am PDT (18:31 UTC). Right now MKC is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23; PSP is VFR, wind calm. 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 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 3W: 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 first 417 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 407 to 923 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 655 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 496 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 764 to 973 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 834 to 883 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the last 60 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 MKC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 3,300 ft, 48 nm west, 11:59 pm CDT (04:59 UTC): a broken layer above 3,300 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the destination end, 48 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT078008/TM 0459/FL033/TP A321/SK BKN033-TOPUNKN/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 8 nm east (078°) of ONT
- Time
- 04:59 UTC
- Height
- at 3,300 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Sky
- a broken layer from 3,300 ft, tops unknown
- Remarks
- during the descent
- B38M at 4,500 ft, 45 nm west, 11:15 pm CDT (04:15 UTC): a broken layer above 4,500 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the destination end, 45 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT078012/TM 0415/FL045/TP B38M/SK BKN045-TOPUNKN/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 12 nm east (078°) of ONT
- Time
- 04:15 UTC
- Height
- at 4,500 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Sky
- a broken layer from 4,500 ft, tops unknown
- Remarks
- during the descent
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 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 (MKC, SLN, GCK, PUB, ALS, FMN, PRC, BLH, ONT). 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 | 220° at 37 kt | +29 kt | 21 °C | 91 kt | 12 h 07 min | 12:09 pm PDT (19:09 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +29 kt | 17 °C | 91 kt | 12 h 07 min | 12:09 pm PDT (19:09 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | +24 kt | 11 °C | 96 kt | 11 h 29 min | 11:31 am PDT (18:31 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | +25 kt | 7 °C | 95 kt | 11 h 36 min | 11:38 am PDT (18:38 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | +26 kt | 3 °C | 94 kt | 11 h 43 min | 11:45 am PDT (18:45 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +30 kt | -1 °C | 90 kt | 12 h 15 min | 12:17 pm PDT (19:17 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 40 kt | +35 kt | -5 °C | 85 kt | 12 h 58 min | 1:00 pm PDT (20:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 43 kt | +38 kt | -8 °C | 82 kt | 13 h 26 min | 1:28 pm PDT (20:28 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 50 kt | +46 kt | -21 °C | 74 kt | 14 h 54 min | 2:56 pm PDT (21:56 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 72 kt | +68 kt | -28 °C | 52 kt | 21 h 12 min | 9:14 pm PDT (04:14 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 75 kt | +74 kt | -35 °C | 46 kt | 23 h 57 min | 11:59 pm PDT (06:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 62 kt | +62 kt | -46 °C | 58 kt | 19 h | 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKC | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| SLN | used from 50 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GCK | used from 198 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| PUB | used from 397 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| ALS | used from 496 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| FMN | used from 595 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| PRC | used from 794 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| BLH | used from 943 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 210/13 | 200/21 11° | 200/22 5° | 210/25 -1° | 210/51 -10° | 220/61 -20° | 220/81 -29° | 220/92 -34° | 220/79 -45° |
| ONT | used from 1092 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 190/8 | 190/19 6° | 210/23 4° | 210/29 -3° | 210/47 -13° | 210/49 -19° | 220/47 -30° | 220/50 -36° | 220/55 -43° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKC Kansas City, MO | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 756 ft | 1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC) |
| FOE Topeka, KS | 50 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 1,077 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| SLN Salina, KS | 149 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 19 knots, gusting to 28 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| GCK Garden City, KS | 298 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 20 knots, gusting to 32 | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| JHN Johnson City, KS | 347 nm out, 19 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 20 knots, gusting to 26 | 10+ mi | none | 3,325 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| TAD Trinidad, CO | 476 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 9 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 5,761 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| FMN Farmington, NM | 665 nm out, 20 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the east (100°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,506 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| FLG Flagstaff, AZ | 853 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 13 knots, gusting to 30 | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 7,014 ft | 06:57 UTC |
| HII Lake Havasu City, AZ | 982 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the east-southeast (120°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 782 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| TNP Twentynine Palms, CA | 1072 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,888 ft | ||||
| PSP Palm Springs, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 476 ft | 11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,014 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:31 am PDT (18:31 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for PSP
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
The forecast for MKC, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 982 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8887 Indio, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 12 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 12 October · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at MKC 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC), at PSP 6:14 pm PDT (01:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:39 pm PDT (01:39 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: Kansas City Downtown/Wheeler Field, Palm Springs International.