General Mitchell International to Bismarck Municipal MKE → BIS
592 nautical miles (682 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 297°, about 301° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 3:05 pm CDT (20:05 UTC). Right now MKE is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 12 knots; BIS is IFR, wind from the north (360°) at 6 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
- SIGMET C22C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 37,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 11:55 am CDT (16:55 UTC). Over the last 99 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 121455 MKCC WST 121455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22C VALID UNTIL 1655Z SD ND FROM 60W GFK-30WNW FAR-40NNE PIR-50NNE DPR-30NNW BIS-60W GFK AREA TS MOV FROM 21040KT. TOPS TO FL370.
- 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 306 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 10 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 MKE.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (GRB, LSE, MSP, AXN, ABR). 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 | 210° at 8 kt | +1 kt | 119 kt | 4 h 58 min | 3:05 pm CDT (20:05 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 17 kt | +6 kt | 16 °C | 114 kt | 5 h 12 min | 3:19 pm CDT (20:19 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | +11 kt | 12 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 26 min | 3:33 pm CDT (20:33 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | +13 kt | 8 °C | 107 kt | 5 h 32 min | 3:39 pm CDT (20:39 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +14 kt | 4 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 35 min | 3:42 pm CDT (20:42 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +17 kt | -2 °C | 103 kt | 5 h 45 min | 3:52 pm CDT (20:52 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | +19 kt | -6 °C | 101 kt | 5 h 52 min | 3:59 pm CDT (20:59 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 31 kt | +21 kt | -10 °C | 99 kt | 5 h 59 min | 4:06 pm CDT (21:06 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 40 kt | +28 kt | -22 °C | 92 kt | 6 h 26 min | 4:33 pm CDT (21:33 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 39 kt | +29 kt | -36 °C | 91 kt | 6 h 30 min | 4:37 pm CDT (21:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 44 kt | +38 kt | -38 °C | 82 kt | 7 h 13 min | 5:20 pm CDT (22:20 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 53 kt | +48 kt | -47 °C | 72 kt | 8 h 13 min | 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRB | used from 0 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 260/10 | 240/27 16° | 260/31 10° | 270/25 5° | 280/31 -10° | 280/35 -22° | 270/46 -37° | 290/43 -40° | 300/64 -48° |
| LSE | used from 99 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 240/16 | 230/27 20° | 250/35 12° | 260/28 5° | 260/30 -9° | 260/37 -21° | 260/38 -36° | 280/44 -37° | 280/52 -47° |
| MSP | used from 197 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 140/8 | 210/22 19° | 230/31 13° | 240/31 5° | 240/29 -9° | 250/34 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/46 -38° | 270/55 -47° |
| AXN | used from 296 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 110/18 | 200/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 4° | 240/31 -10° | 240/45 -21° | 240/38 -36° | 250/49 -38° | 260/56 -47° |
| ABR | used from 444 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 020/9 | 230/5 12° | 190/14 11° | 200/25 5° | 230/37 -11° | 230/50 -23° | 240/39 -34° | 240/49 -38° | 240/55 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 728 ft | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
| UES Waukesha, WI | 20 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 911 ft | 14:45 UTC |
| DLL Baraboo, WI | 89 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 980 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| CMY Sparta, WI | 138 nm out, 0 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 839 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| RGK Red Wing, MN | 217 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 778 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| FCM Minneapolis, MN | 266 nm out, 1 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 9 mi | none | 906 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| LJF Litchfield, MN | 316 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | reported, no category | from the east (080°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,139 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| MOX Morris, MN | 385 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet | from the east-northeast (060°) at 4 knots, gusting to 10 | 10+ mi | none | 1,135 ft | 14:40 UTC |
| GWR Gwinner, ND | 464 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the north-northeast (030°) at 13 knots | 1.25 mi | none | 1,265 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| ASY Ashley, ND | 523 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,034 ft | ||||
| BIS Bismarck, ND | destination | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,700 feet | from the north (360°) at 6 knots | 8 mi | 700 ft | 1,661 ft | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,034 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BIS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:05 pm CDT (20:05 UTC)
Wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BIS
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 12 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
The forecast for MKE, the departure
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 21 nm from the route, 266 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at BIS 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:30 pm CDT (00:30 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: General Mitchell International, Bismarck Municipal.