Plan a flight · Sun 7:31 pm AKDT (03:31 UTC)

Merrill Field to MC Grath Airport MRI → MCG

193 nautical miles (222 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 305°, about 292° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 32 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:03 pm AKDT (05:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MRI is VFR, wind from the east (080°) at 5 knots; MCG is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 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: 1,351 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 MRI.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B747 at 9,000 ft, 11 nm south, 6:26 pm AKDT (02:26 UTC): light rime icing up to 9,000 ft, remarks: during the descent witti arrival. At the departure end, 11 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ANC UA /OV TED120010/TM 0226/FL090/TP B747/IC LGT RIM BLO 090/RM DURD WITTI ARR
```
Report
a routine report filed through ANC
Where
10 nm southeast (120°) of TED
Time
02:26 UTC
Height
at 9,000 ft
Aircraft
B747
Icing
light rim below 9,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent witti arrival
BE99 at 1,200 ft, 4 nm southeast, 6:10 pm AKDT (02:10 UTC): a broken layer above 3,000 ft, light rain. At the departure end, 4 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MRI UA /OV CSR/TM 0210/FL012/TP BE99/SK BKN030/WX -RA
```
Report
a routine report filed through MRI
Where
over CSR
Time
02:10 UTC
Height
at 1,200 ft
Aircraft
BE99
Sky
a broken layer from 3,000 ft
Weather
light rain
B738 at 9,000 ft, 13 nm south, 5:22 pm AKDT (01:22 UTC): light turbulence from 5,000 ft to 8,500 ft, light rime icing from 5,000 ft to 8,500 ft, -5 °C, remarks: icing and turbulence in clouds during climb clear above. At the departure end, 13 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ANC UA /OV TED150010/TM 0122/FL090/TP B738/SK BASES 050 TOPS 085/TA M05/TB LGT 050-085/IC LGT RIME 050-085/RM ICING AND TURBULENCE IN CLOUDS DURING CLIMB. CLEAR ABOVE
```
Report
a routine report filed through ANC
Where
10 nm southeast (150°) of TED
Time
01:22 UTC
Height
at 9,000 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
bases 5,000 ft tops 8,500 ft
Temperature
−5 °C
Turbulence
light from 5,000 ft to 8,500 ft
Icing
light rime from 5,000 ft to 8,500 ft
Remarks
icing and turbulence in clouds during climb clear above
C172 at 900 ft, 0 nm south, 5:17 pm AKDT (01:17 UTC): no turbulence, a few clouds above 900 ft. At the departure end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MRI UA /OV MRI/TM 0117/FL009/TP C172/SK FEW009/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through MRI
Where
over MRI
Time
01:17 UTC
Height
at 900 ft
Aircraft
C172
Sky
a few clouds from 900 ft
Turbulence
none
C207 at 1,200 ft, 4 nm northwest, 5:16 pm AKDT (01:16 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, a broken layer above 1,200 ft. At the departure end, 4 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MRI UA /OV MRI275004/TM 0116/FL012/TP C207/SK BKN012/TB NEG/IC NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through MRI
Where
4 nm west (275°) of MRI
Time
01:16 UTC
Height
at 1,200 ft
Aircraft
C207
Sky
a broken layer from 1,200 ft
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
MU2 at 7,000 ft, 24 nm southwest, 5:16 pm AKDT (01:16 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, remarks: during the climb. At the departure end, 24 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ANC UA /OV TED190020/TM 0116/FL070/TP MU2/SK BASES 040 TOPS 050 CLR ABV/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ANC
Where
20 nm south (190°) of TED
Time
01:16 UTC
Height
at 7,000 ft
Aircraft
MU2
Sky
bases 4,000 ft tops 5,000 ft clear above
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
Remarks
during the climb
BE20 at 2,000 ft, 0 nm south, 4:48 pm AKDT (00:48 UTC): no turbulence, no icing. At the departure end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MRI UA /OV MRI/TM 0048/FL020/TP BE20/WX FV20SM/TB NEG/IC NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through MRI
Where
over MRI
Time
00:48 UTC
Height
at 2,000 ft
Aircraft
BE20
Weather
flight visibility 20 miles
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
C208 at 2,000 ft, 33 nm southwest, 6:05 pm AKDT (02:05 UTC): no turbulence, no icing. 19 nm along the route, 33 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ENA UA /OV 20N ENA/TM 0205/FL020/TP C208/TB NEG/IC NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through ENA
Where
20N ena
Time
02:05 UTC
Height
at 2,000 ft
Aircraft
C208
Turbulence
none
Icing
none

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 3 forecast points nearest it (ANC, TKA, MCG). 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	190° at 11 kt	−4 kt		124 kt	1 h 33 min	9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC)
6,500 ft	190° at 13 kt	−5 kt	-7 °C	125 kt	1 h 33 min	9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC)
8,500 ft	190° at 13 kt	−5 kt	-11 °C	125 kt	1 h 33 min	9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC)
10,500 ft	190° at 13 kt	−4 kt	-15 °C	124 kt	1 h 33 min	9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC)
12,500 ft	200° at 13 kt	−3 kt	-20 °C	123 kt	1 h 34 min	9:05 pm AKDT (05:05 UTC)
14,500 ft	200° at 13 kt	−3 kt	-24 °C	123 kt	1 h 34 min	9:05 pm AKDT (05:05 UTC)
16,500 ft	200° at 13 kt	−3 kt	-28 °C	123 kt	1 h 34 min	9:05 pm AKDT (05:05 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	200° at 13 kt	−3 kt	-31 °C	123 kt	1 h 34 min	9:05 pm AKDT (05:05 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	180° at 12 kt	−6 kt	-41 °C	126 kt	1 h 32 min	9:03 pm AKDT (05:03 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	200° at 16 kt	−3 kt	-54 °C	123 kt	1 h 34 min	9:05 pm AKDT (05:05 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	230° at 23 kt	+6 kt	-52 °C	114 kt	1 h 42 min	9:13 pm AKDT (05:13 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	240° at 32 kt	+12 kt	-47 °C	108 kt	1 h 47 min	9:18 pm AKDT (05:18 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
ANC	used from 0 nm out; 22 nm from the line	200/5	220/9 -5°	210/8 -12°	210/7 -18°	220/8 -31°	240/9 -41°	210/12 -52°	240/30 -49°	240/42 -46°
TKA	used from 48 nm out; 58 nm from the line	190/6	200/10 -7°	240/6 -11°	240/7 -18°	220/10 -31°	L/V -41°	240/13 -54°	230/22 -52°	240/33 -47°
MCG	used from 96 nm out; 72 nm from the line	200/13	180/18 -6°	180/20 -12°	190/20 -19°	190/18 -30°	170/22 -41°	190/22 -55°	220/20 -53°	230/27 -48°

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
MRI Anchorage, AK	departure	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 4,200 feet, overcast at 7,000 feet	from the east (080°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	4,200 ft	143 ft	6:53 pm AKDT (02:53 UTC)
UUO Willow, AK	19 nm out, 23 nm northeast of the line	no report just now				215 ft
SKW Skwentna, AK	58 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line	no report just now				148 ft
TNW Farewell Lake, AK	135 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line	no report just now				1,185 ft
FSP Nikolai, AK	164 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line	marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,600 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet Weather: light rain	calm	10+ mi	2,600 ft	447 ft	03:01 UTC
MCG Mc Grath, AK	destination	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,500 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet	from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	7,500 ft	342 ft	6:53 pm AKDT (02:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,185 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MCG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:03 pm AKDT (05:03 UTC)

Wind from the south at 2 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 700 feet IFR

The whole forecast for MCG

From Sun 4:00 pm AKDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 500 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Sun 9:00 pm AKDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the south at 2 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 700 feet
From Mon 7:00 am AKDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 900 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/8772 Anchorage, AK, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · security · starts tomorrow · ZAN
6/8889 Anchorage, AK, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZAN

Daylight

Sunset at MRI 6:56 pm AKDT (02:56 UTC), at MCG 7:15 pm AKDT (03:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 8:01 pm AKDT (04:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MCG is after sunset there (7:18 pm AKDT (03:18 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

Radar now, Alaska · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Merrill Field, MC Grath Airport.