Mobile Regional to Des Moines International MOB → DSM
702 nautical miles (807 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 340°, about 343° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:21 pm CDT (21:21 UTC). Right now MOB is VFR, wind calm; DSM is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21. 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 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 last 208 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 MOB.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- BE36 at 8,000 ft, 18 nm southwest, 8:40 am CDT (13:40 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, clear from 8,000 ft to 60,000 ft, 18 °C, wind 270° at 4 knots, remarks: ZME65. 69 nm along the route, 18 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
MCB UA /OV LBY045020/TM 1340/FL080/TP BE36/SK SKC/WX NEG/TA 18/WV 270004KT/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM ZME65
- Report
- a routine report filed through MCB
- Where
- 20 nm northeast (045°) of LBY
- Time
- 13:40 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE36
- Sky
- clear
- Weather
- no
- Temperature
- 18 °C
- Wind
- from 270° at 4 knots
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- ZME65
- BE33 at 4,500 ft, 19 nm west, 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC): clear from 4,500 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: ZME65. 247 nm along the route, 19 nm west 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
- PA28 at 3,000 ft, 4 nm west, 10:22 am CDT (15:22 UTC): remarks: wind shear at at 3,000 ft, 8 west of cou put aircraft in 45 degree bank no damage no injuries. 524 nm along the route, 4 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
COU UA /OV KCOU/TM 1522/FL030/TP PA28/RM WIND SHEAR AT 030, 8 WEST OF COU. PUT ACFT IN 45 DEGREE BANK. NO DAMAGE NO INJURIES
- Report
- a routine report filed through COU
- Where
- over KCOU
- Time
- 15:22 UTC
- Height
- at 3,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PA28
- Remarks
- wind shear at at 3,000 ft, 8 west of cou put aircraft in 45 degree bank no damage no injuries
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 6 forecast points nearest it (MOB, JAN, MEM, CGI, COU, DSM). 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 19 kt | −3 kt | 123 kt | 5 h 42 min | 4:21 pm CDT (21:21 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −2 kt | 16 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 45 min | 4:24 pm CDT (21:24 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −2 kt | 12 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 45 min | 4:24 pm CDT (21:24 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | 0 | 9 °C | 120 kt | 5 h 51 min | 4:30 pm CDT (21:30 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +3 kt | 5 °C | 117 kt | 6 h | 4:39 pm CDT (21:39 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 22 kt | +5 kt | 1 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 06 min | 4:45 pm CDT (21:45 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 23 kt | +7 kt | -3 °C | 113 kt | 6 h 13 min | 4:52 pm CDT (21:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 24 kt | +8 kt | -6 °C | 112 kt | 6 h 16 min | 4:55 pm CDT (21:55 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 28 kt | +8 kt | -17 °C | 112 kt | 6 h 16 min | 4:55 pm CDT (21:55 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 50 kt | +40 kt | -30 °C | 80 kt | 8 h 46 min | 7:25 pm CDT (00:25 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 53 kt | +42 kt | -38 °C | 78 kt | 9 h | 7:39 pm CDT (00:39 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 45 kt | +38 kt | -49 °C | 82 kt | 8 h 34 min | 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOB | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | L/V 18° | L/V 11° | 300/9 6° | 330/12 -4° | 330/12 -16° | 340/28 -30° | 340/36 -40° | 360/34 -51° |
| JAN | used from 49 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 210/8 | 230/13 18° | 240/10 11° | 260/11 6° | 280/16 -5° | 260/12 -15° | 330/34 -30° | 320/39 -40° | 340/34 -51° |
| MEM | used from 198 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 240/14 | 260/23 16° | 250/22 11° | 250/20 7° | 270/24 -6° | 270/27 -16° | 310/49 -30° | 310/46 -39° | 320/43 -50° |
| CGI | used from 346 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 250/22 | 250/17 15° | 250/25 11° | 260/27 7° | 270/35 -7° | 280/38 -17° | 300/63 -31° | 300/62 -38° | 300/55 -49° |
| COU | used from 445 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 240/28 | 240/22 17° | 250/18 12° | 260/22 6° | 270/23 -7° | 260/39 -19° | 290/70 -30° | 290/71 -37° | 290/58 -48° |
| DSM | used from 593 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 230/34 | 230/32 20° | 220/33 12° | 240/35 5° | 250/39 -7° | 250/43 -21° | 280/61 -31° | 280/73 -37° | 280/67 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOB Mobile, AL | departure | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 218 ft | 9:56 am CDT (14:56 UTC) |
| LUL Laurel, MS | 69 nm out, 24 nm west of the line | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 238 ft | 15:15 UTC |
| MEI Meridian, MS | 99 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 297 ft | 14:58 UTC |
| GNF Grenada, MS | 208 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 207 ft | ||||
| MEM Memphis, TN | 277 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 340 ft | 14:54 UTC |
| NQA Millington, TN | 287 nm out, 24 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 322 ft | 15:50 UTC |
| ARG Walnut Ridge, AR | 356 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 279 ft | 14:56 UTC |
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 464 nm out, 25 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 1,159 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| COU Columbia, MO | 524 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 15 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 14:54 UTC |
| MBY Moberly, MO | 563 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 866 ft | 15:35 UTC |
| CNC Chariton, IA | 672 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 17 knots, gusting to 24 | 10+ mi | none | 1,050 ft | 15:15 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 20,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 957 ft | 9:54 am CDT (14:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,159 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DSM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:21 pm CDT (21:21 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DSM
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for MOB, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 544 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at MOB 6:25 pm CDT (23:25 UTC), at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 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: Mobile Regional, Des Moines International.