Missoula Montana Airport to Palm Springs International MSO → PSP
793 nautical miles (913 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 189°, about 176° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (7,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 11:54 am PDT (18:54 UTC). Right now MSO is VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 7 knots; PSP is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) 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: 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 ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 129 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 486 nm of the route.
- 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 40 to 238 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 139 to 575 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the last 307 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the destination end.
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 MSO.
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 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd 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 (DLN, BOI, BAM, ELY, LAS, ONT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | +14 kt | 1 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 29 min | 11:54 am PDT (18:54 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | +17 kt | -1 °C | 103 kt | 7 h 42 min | 12:07 pm PDT (19:07 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 24 kt | +21 kt | -5 °C | 99 kt | 8 h 01 min | 12:26 pm PDT (19:26 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 210° at 29 kt | +27 kt | -8 °C | 93 kt | 8 h 32 min | 12:57 pm PDT (19:57 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 210° at 35 kt | +33 kt | -12 °C | 87 kt | 9 h 07 min | 1:32 pm PDT (20:32 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 210° at 41 kt | +39 kt | -16 °C | 81 kt | 9 h 47 min | 2:12 pm PDT (21:12 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 200° at 42 kt | +40 kt | -17 °C | 80 kt | 9 h 55 min | 2:20 pm PDT (21:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 210° at 55 kt | +52 kt | -26 °C | 68 kt | 11 h 40 min | 4:05 pm PDT (23:05 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 61 kt | +54 kt | -31 °C | 66 kt | 12 h 01 min | 4:26 pm PDT (23:26 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 62 kt | +54 kt | -36 °C | 66 kt | 12 h 01 min | 4:26 pm PDT (23:26 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 54 kt | +47 kt | -43 °C | 73 kt | 10 h 52 min | 3:17 pm PDT (22:17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLN | used from 0 nm out; 101 nm from the line | 190/10 -4° | 220/23 -4° | 210/21 -18° | 210/43 -28° | 210/60 -33° | 210/72 -37° | 210/67 -44° | ||
| BOI | used from 149 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 320/11 1° | 280/8 -5° | 220/14 -11° | 200/60 -19° | 190/66 -31° | 210/46 -32° | 220/50 -33° | 220/43 -39° | |
| BAM | used from 298 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 280/9 -2° | 260/18 -8° | 190/47 -19° | 200/50 -29° | 210/56 -29° | 220/54 -34° | 220/45 -42° | ||
| ELY | used from 397 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 210/34 1° | 220/40 -4° | 220/39 -17° | 210/51 -24° | 220/65 -30° | 220/60 -37° | 220/56 -44° | ||
| LAS | used from 545 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| ONT | used from 744 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 250/11 | 200/20 4° | 210/27 3° | 220/26 -4° | 240/32 -13° | 220/52 -21° | 220/67 -30° | 220/72 -37° | 220/65 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSO Missoula, MT | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,500 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the east (090°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 6,500 ft | 3,205 ft | 4:53 am MDT (10:53 UTC) |
| HRF Hamilton, MT | 40 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 3,635 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| LLJ Challis, ID | 139 nm out, 17 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,700 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 2,700 ft | 5,075 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| SUN Hailey, ID | 208 nm out, 23 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 2,700 feet, overcast at 3,100 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 2,700 ft | 5,319 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| TWF Twin Falls, ID | 268 nm out, 23 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,600 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 2,600 ft | 4,153 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| LWL Wells, NV | 347 nm out, 16 nm east of the line | no report just now | 5,769 ft | ||||
| DAG Daggett, CA | 734 nm out, 21 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,930 ft | 10:50 UTC |
| PSP Palm Springs, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,800 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 476 ft | 3:53 am PDT (10:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,769 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:54 am PDT (18:54 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for PSP
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
The forecast for MSO, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the east at 2 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am MDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm MDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 10,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8927 Kalispell, MT, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 through Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZSE
- 6/8923 Kalispell, MT, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 through Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLC
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, 645 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at MSO 6:53 pm MDT (00:53 UTC), at PSP 6:14 pm PDT (01:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:39 pm PDT (01:39 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: Missoula Montana Airport, Palm Springs International.