General Mitchell International to Rapid City Regional MKE → RAP
663 nautical miles (763 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 285° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 10:13 am MDT (16:13 UTC). Right now MKE is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 12 knots; RAP is low IFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 7 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: 3 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 C15C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 5:55 am CDT (10:55 UTC). Near the route, 623 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120855 MKCC WST 120855 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 15C VALID UNTIL 1055Z SD ND FROM 50SE DIK-50ENE DPR-40ENE RAP-50NNW RAP-50SE DIK AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
- 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 59 to 307 nm out.
- 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 267 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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (GRB, DBQ, LSE, MCW, FSD, PIR, RAP). 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 22 kt | +18 kt | 15 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 30 min | 10:13 am MDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +18 kt | 17 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 30 min | 10:13 am MDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | +18 kt | 13 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 30 min | 10:13 am MDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +20 kt | 9 °C | 100 kt | 6 h 38 min | 10:21 am MDT (16:21 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +21 kt | 4 °C | 99 kt | 6 h 42 min | 10:25 am MDT (16:25 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +21 kt | -1 °C | 99 kt | 6 h 42 min | 10:25 am MDT (16:25 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | +20 kt | -6 °C | 100 kt | 6 h 38 min | 10:21 am MDT (16:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 23 kt | +19 kt | -10 °C | 101 kt | 6 h 34 min | 10:17 am MDT (16:17 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 31 kt | +26 kt | -21 °C | 94 kt | 7 h 03 min | 10:46 am MDT (16:46 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 37 kt | +35 kt | -35 °C | 85 kt | 7 h 48 min | 11:31 am MDT (17:31 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 45 kt | +44 kt | -39 °C | 76 kt | 8 h 43 min | 12:26 pm MDT (18:26 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 56 kt | +56 kt | -47 °C | 64 kt | 10 h 22 min | 2:05 pm MDT (20:05 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRB | used from 0 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/22 17° | 240/18 8° | 280/21 6° | 280/34 -11° | 280/35 -21° | 280/39 -37° | 270/52 -45° | 290/60 -49° |
| DBQ | used from 49 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| LSE | used from 99 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 250/25 | 240/21 17° | 240/28 11° | 250/28 5° | 280/24 -10° | 280/31 -21° | 260/35 -37° | 270/45 -43° | 280/59 -47° |
| MCW | used from 198 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| FSD | used from 297 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| PIR | used from 445 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| RAP | used from 593 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 250/28 16° | 260/31 10° | 240/25 4° | 210/35 -10° | 200/45 -23° | 230/47 -31° | 230/47 -36° | 230/51 -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 19,000 feet, overcast at 24,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 728 ft | 3:52 am CDT (08:52 UTC) |
| UES Waukesha, WI | 20 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 911 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| LNR Lone Rock, WI | 99 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 717 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| CJJ Cresco, IA | 188 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,279 ft | ||||
| RST Rochester, MN | 208 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 11 knots | 9 mi | none | 1,317 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| FRM Fairmont, MN | 287 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,161 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 386 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| MHE Mitchell, SD | 445 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the north (360°) at 9 knots | 7 mi | 400 ft | 1,304 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| PIR Pierre, SD | 544 nm out, 23 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: mist | from the north-northeast (020°) at 7 knots | 5 mi | 500 ft | 1,744 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| PHP Philip, SD | 603 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,700 feet | from the east-northeast (060°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 2,209 ft | 09:18 UTC |
| RAP Rapid City, SD | destination | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots | 1 mi | 200 ft | 3,203 ft | 3:38 am MDT (09:38 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,203 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RAP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:13 am MDT (16:13 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 1 mile, mist, overcast at 300 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for RAP
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility 1 mile, mist, overcast at 200 feet
- At times between Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC) and 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 1 mile, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
The forecast for MKE, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 4,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Tue 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 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 MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at RAP 6:12 pm MDT (00:12 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:41 pm MDT (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: General Mitchell International, Rapid City Regional.