Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field to Reno/Tahoe International MSN → RNO
1,382 nautical miles (1,590 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 271°, about 274° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 48 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 12:01 pm PDT (19:01 UTC). Right now MSN is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots; RNO is VFR, wind from the north (350°) at 9 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: 5 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 route from 10 to 577 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 route from 457 to 616 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 606 to 954 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 656 to 915 nm out.
- 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). Over the route from 696 to 855 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 755 to 1262 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 775 to 1233 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 775 to 865 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 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 MSN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 13 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, LSE, MCW, FSD, ONL, PIR, BFF, LND, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, RNO). 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 20 kt | +12 kt | 20 °C | 108 kt | 12 h 48 min | 12:01 pm PDT (19:01 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | +13 kt | 17 °C | 107 kt | 12 h 55 min | 12:08 pm PDT (19:08 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | +14 kt | 10 °C | 106 kt | 13 h 02 min | 12:15 pm PDT (19:15 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | +17 kt | 5 °C | 103 kt | 13 h 25 min | 12:38 pm PDT (19:38 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +19 kt | 1 °C | 101 kt | 13 h 41 min | 12:54 pm PDT (19:54 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | +21 kt | -3 °C | 99 kt | 13 h 58 min | 1:11 pm PDT (20:11 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | +23 kt | -8 °C | 97 kt | 14 h 15 min | 1:28 pm PDT (20:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 29 kt | +24 kt | -11 °C | 96 kt | 14 h 24 min | 1:37 pm PDT (20:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 35 kt | +29 kt | -23 °C | 91 kt | 15 h 11 min | 2:24 pm PDT (21:24 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 45 kt | +39 kt | -32 °C | 81 kt | 17 h 04 min | 4:17 pm PDT (23:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 51 kt | +48 kt | -37 °C | 72 kt | 19 h 12 min | 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 53 kt | +52 kt | -46 °C | 68 kt | 20 h 19 min | 7:32 pm PDT (02:32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBQ | used from 0 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| LSE | used from 50 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| MCW | used from 99 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| FSD | used from 249 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| ONL | used from 348 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 497 nm out; 107 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| BFF | used from 547 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° | |
| LND | used from 746 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 200/23 6° | 220/31 1° | 220/39 -11° | 230/39 -23° | 220/51 -28° | 220/66 -37° | 230/68 -45° | ||
| RKS | used from 795 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| SLC | used from 944 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 200/5 | 230/8 2° | 220/20 -2° | 210/40 -12° | 190/53 -25° | 210/62 -30° | 220/69 -34° | 220/64 -43° | |
| ELY | used from 1093 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 200/39 3° | 210/27 -2° | 210/45 -15° | 220/56 -24° | 210/60 -28° | 210/63 -34° | 220/61 -43° | ||
| BAM | used from 1143 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 310/7 0° | 270/19 -7° | 200/38 -17° | 190/49 -28° | 220/69 -29° | 220/63 -33° | 230/48 -41° | ||
| RNO | used from 1292 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 010/9 | 320/10 -2° | 210/23 -9° | 210/34 -19° | 220/36 -25° | 230/31 -29° | 230/41 -33° | 230/38 -42° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSN Madison, WI | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 886 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| OVS Boscobel, WI | 60 nm out, 1 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 672 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| AXA Algona, IA | 219 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,216 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| SXK Maurice, IA | 298 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,408 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| VTN Valentine, NE | 497 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 9 knots | 9 mi | 500 ft | 2,595 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| GUR Guernsey, WY | 676 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the northeast (040°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,401 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| RWL Rawlins, WY | 795 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,816 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| EVW Evanston, WY | 964 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 7,142 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| OGD Ogden, UT | 1014 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,100 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 4,100 ft | 4,472 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| EKO Elko, NV | 1183 nm out, 20 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,800 feet, overcast at 4,700 feet Weather: light rain | from the east (080°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 3,800 ft | 5,139 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| SPZ Silver Springs, NV | 1362 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 4,265 ft | ||||
| RNO Reno, NV | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 feet | from the north (350°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,414 ft | 10:55 pm PDT (05:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,142 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RNO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:01 pm PDT (19:01 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RNO
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am PDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm PDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
The forecast for MSN, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
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 MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at RNO 6:24 pm PDT (01:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm PDT (01:51 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: Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field, Reno/Tahoe International.