Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to Grand Forks International MSP → GFK
246 nautical miles (283 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 320°, about 320° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 2 h at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:16 am CDT (08:16 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MSP is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots; GFK is IFR, wind from the north (010°) at 11 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: 2,297 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 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 128 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 MSP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 16,500 ft, 40 nm southwest, 10:25 pm CDT (03:25 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: during the climb. At the departure end, 40 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
MSP UA /OV MSP235040/TM 0325/FL165/TP A321/TB CONS LGT /RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through MSP
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (235°) of MSP
- Time
- 03:25 UTC
- Height
- at 16,500 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- during the climb
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 (MSP, AXN, GFK). 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 4 kt | −3 kt | 123 kt | 2 h | 3:16 am CDT (08:16 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 12 kt | +1 kt | 12 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 04 min | 3:20 am CDT (08:20 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | +4 kt | 10 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 07 min | 3:23 am CDT (08:23 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | +6 kt | 6 °C | 114 kt | 2 h 09 min | 3:25 am CDT (08:25 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 28 kt | +9 kt | 2 °C | 111 kt | 2 h 13 min | 3:29 am CDT (08:29 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 30 kt | +11 kt | -2 °C | 109 kt | 2 h 15 min | 3:31 am CDT (08:31 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 33 kt | +13 kt | -6 °C | 107 kt | 2 h 18 min | 3:34 am CDT (08:34 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 35 kt | +15 kt | -10 °C | 105 kt | 2 h 21 min | 3:37 am CDT (08:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 40 kt | +21 kt | -21 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 29 min | 3:45 am CDT (08:45 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 40 kt | +17 kt | -36 °C | 103 kt | 2 h 23 min | 3:39 am CDT (08:39 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 43 kt | +21 kt | -45 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 29 min | 3:45 am CDT (08:45 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 56 kt | +29 kt | -52 °C | 91 kt | 2 h 42 min | 3:58 am CDT (08:58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -52° |
| AXN | used from 49 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| GFK | used from 148 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 070/18 | 100/10 9° | 250/11 6° | 250/27 1° | 250/34 -10° | 260/43 -21° | 260/39 -36° | 260/36 -46° | 260/59 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | departure | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 841 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| CFE Buffalo, MN | 30 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, a broken layer at 3,600 feet, a broken layer at 4,300 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 3,600 ft | 967 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| STC St Cloud, MN | 49 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (360°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,030 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| SAZ Staples, MN | 108 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the north (360°) at 6 knots | 9 mi | none | 1,287 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| ADC Wadena, MN | 128 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 8 knots | 7 mi | none | 1,368 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| CKN Crookston, MN | 227 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 896 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| GFK Grand Forks, ND | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet | from the north (010°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 845 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,368 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At GFK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:16 am CDT (08:16 UTC)
Wind from the north at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 400 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for GFK
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 400 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): light rain showers
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 700 feet
The forecast for MSP, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 20 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP
- 6/4348 GRAND FORKS AFB, ND, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at GFK 6:46 pm CDT (23:46 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at GFK is before sunrise there (7:43 am CDT (12:43 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: Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport, Grand Forks International.