Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to Valley International MSP → HRL
1,140 nautical miles (1,312 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 192°, about 192° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 1-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:09 am CDT (16:09 UTC). Right now MSP is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots; HRL is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 5 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: 610 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 79 to 595 nm out.
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
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 11 forecast points nearest it (MSP, MCW, DSM, MKC, TUL, FSM, DAL, CLL, PSX, CRP, BRO). 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 25 kt | +24 kt | 96 kt | 11 h 52 min | 1:36 pm CDT (18:36 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | +17 kt | 17 °C | 103 kt | 11 h 04 min | 12:48 pm CDT (17:48 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 16 kt | +13 kt | 14 °C | 107 kt | 10 h 39 min | 12:23 pm CDT (17:23 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 14 kt | +10 kt | 10 °C | 110 kt | 10 h 22 min | 12:06 pm CDT (17:06 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | +9 kt | 6 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 16 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +9 kt | 2 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 16 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +9 kt | -3 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 16 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 18 kt | +9 kt | -6 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 16 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 23 kt | +10 kt | -16 °C | 110 kt | 10 h 22 min | 12:06 pm CDT (17:06 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 31 kt | +7 kt | -30 °C | 113 kt | 10 h 05 min | 11:49 am CDT (16:49 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 35 kt | +9 kt | -40 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 16 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 38 kt | −1 kt | -51 °C | 121 kt | 9 h 25 min | 11:09 am CDT (16:09 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° |
| MCW | used from 50 nm out; 33 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° |
| DSM | used from 149 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| MKC | used from 297 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| TUL | used from 446 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 210/37 | 240/29 17° | 260/15 14° | 260/11 7° | 240/22 -6° | 250/29 -16° | 270/45 -29° | 270/47 -40° | 280/44 -50° |
| FSM | used from 595 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 210/27 | 250/23 16° | 250/20 13° | 240/17 8° | 250/18 -6° | 260/31 -16° | 280/42 -30° | 280/44 -40° | 290/38 -51° |
| DAL | used from 645 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| CLL | used from 793 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 170/22 | 170/26 18° | 200/15 14° | 240/13 8° | 240/15 -5° | 260/17 -13° | 290/27 -29° | 290/22 -40° | 320/30 -51° |
| PSX | used from 942 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 160/24 | 160/23 19° | 180/14 15° | 210/11 9° | 240/8 -4° | 250/8 -13° | 320/14 -29° | 300/16 -40° | 340/17 -51° |
| CRP | used from 992 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 150/24 | 180/19 19° | 190/13 14° | 200/14 9° | 230/5 -4° | 170/6 -14° | 360/6 -29° | L/V -40° | 350/18 -52° |
| BRO | used from 1091 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 150/22 | 160/18 18° | 160/13 14° | 150/9 10° | 050/5 -3° | L/V -15° | 100/13 -29° | 120/15 -40° | 080/9 -52° |
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) |
| FXY Forest City, IA | 99 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,229 ft | 06:10 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 198 nm out, 24 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 957 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| MCI Kansas City, MO | 337 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 1,027 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| IXD Olathe, KS | 367 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,087 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| TUL Tulsa, OK | 535 nm out, 16 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 677 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| MLC Mc Alester, OK | 615 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | VFR | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 770 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| HQZ Mesquite, TX | 744 nm out, 10 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 446 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| CLL College Station, TX | 873 nm out, 22 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 320 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| VCT Victoria, TX | 982 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-northeast (060°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 115 ft | 05:51 UTC |
| CRP Corpus Christi, TX | 1051 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a few clouds at 2,800 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 22,000 ft | 46 ft | 05:51 UTC |
| HRL Harlingen, TX | destination | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 36 ft | 12:52 am CDT (05:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,229 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HRL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:09 am CDT (16:09 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for HRL
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 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 19 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 25 nm from the route, 734 nm along the route · a VIP movement · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at HRL 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:28 pm CDT (00:28 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, Valley International.