Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to Idaho Falls Regional MSP → IDA
814 nautical miles (936 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 271°, about 271° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 3:19 am MDT (09:19 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MSP is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 8 knots; IDA is IFR, wind from the southeast (130°) 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: 4 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
- SIGMET 8W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 486 to 635 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8W VALID UNTIL 0355Z CO MT WY FROM 40N SHR-60WNW RAP-20ENE CYS-30SW CYS-10NW BOY-40N SHR AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
- 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 129 to 149 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 last 516 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 437 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 526 to 784 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 556 to 734 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 228 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 218 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
- S22T at 15,000 ft, 19 nm north, 8:47 pm CDT (01:47 UTC): moderate rime icing above 15,000 ft, -5 °C. 724 nm along the route, 19 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
JAC UA /OV DNW010020/TM 0147/FL150/TP S22T/TA M05/IC MOD RIME 150 /ZLC
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAC
- Where
- 20 nm north (010°) of DNW
- Time
- 01:47 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- S22T
- Temperature
- −5 °C
- Icing
- moderate rime at 15,000 ft zlc
- BE20 at 14,000 ft, 38 nm south, 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC): light turbulence. 159 nm along the route, 38 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
FSD UA /OV FSD340035/TM 0020/FL140/TP BE20/TB CONS LGT/ NEG 120
- Report
- a routine report filed through FSD
- Where
- 35 nm north (340°) of FSD
- Time
- 00:20 UTC
- Height
- at 14,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Turbulence
- continuous light no at 12,000 ft
- BE20 at 15,000 ft, 15 nm south, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): -5 °C, remarks: clear out at at 22,000 ft ZDVWC-31. 476 nm along the route, 15 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
CUT UA /OV ECS340020/TM 0156/FL150/TP BE20/TA M05/IC T RIME 150-180/RM CLR OUT AT 220 ZDVWC-31
- Report
- a routine report filed through CUT
- Where
- 20 nm north (340°) of ECS
- Time
- 01:56 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Temperature
- −5 °C
- Icing
- T rime from 15,000 ft to 18,000 ft
- Remarks
- clear out at at 22,000 ft ZDVWC-31
- A320 descending, 6 nm south, 7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC): overcast above 7,500 ft, remarks: braking action good during the descent runway 19. 754 nm along the route, 6 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
JAC UA /OV JAC/TM 0054/FLUNKN/TP A320/SK OVC075/RM BRAKING ACTION GOOD DURD RY19
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAC
- Where
- over JAC
- Time
- 00:54 UTC
- Height
- height not given
- Aircraft
- A320
- Sky
- overcast from 7,500 ft
- Remarks
- braking action good during the descent runway 19
- PC12 at 15,000 ft, 24 nm south, 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 UTC): light rime icing above 15,000 ft. 774 nm along the route, 24 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
JAC UA /OV JAC200025/TM 2347/FL150/TP PC12/IC LGT RIME 150 /ZLC
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAC
- Where
- 25 nm south (200°) of JAC
- Time
- 23:47 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Icing
- light rime at 15,000 ft zlc
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 8 forecast points nearest it (MSP, AXN, ABR, PIR, RAP, BIL, LND, PIH). 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 | 180° at 12 kt | +1 kt | 14 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 50 min | 3:19 am MDT (09:19 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 200° at 15 kt | +7 kt | 15 °C | 113 kt | 7 h 12 min | 3:41 am MDT (09:41 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 21 kt | +13 kt | 11 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 36 min | 4:05 am MDT (10:05 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | +18 kt | 7 °C | 102 kt | 7 h 59 min | 4:28 am MDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +23 kt | 3 °C | 97 kt | 8 h 24 min | 4:53 am MDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | +25 kt | -2 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 34 min | 5:03 am MDT (11:03 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | +27 kt | -7 °C | 93 kt | 8 h 45 min | 5:14 am MDT (11:14 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 33 kt | +28 kt | -11 °C | 92 kt | 8 h 51 min | 5:20 am MDT (11:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 38 kt | +34 kt | -22 °C | 86 kt | 9 h 28 min | 5:57 am MDT (11:57 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 42 kt | +37 kt | -34 °C | 83 kt | 9 h 48 min | 6:17 am MDT (12:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 52 kt | +49 kt | -40 °C | 71 kt | 11 h 28 min | 7:57 am MDT (13:57 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 57 kt | +55 kt | -47 °C | 65 kt | 12 h 31 min | 9:00 am MDT (15:00 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 50 nm out; 62 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° |
| ABR | used from 149 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| PIR | used from 248 nm out; 36 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° | |
| RAP | used from 347 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 546 nm out; 126 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| LND | used from 595 nm out; 90 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° | ||
| PIH | used from 744 nm out; 81 nm from the line | L/V | 240/13 1° | 240/15 -3° | 210/42 -15° | 200/70 -25° | 220/74 -29° | 220/71 -36° | 220/62 -43° |
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 Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 841 ft | 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC) |
| HCD Hutchinson, MN | 50 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,062 ft | 02:21 UTC |
| MVE Montevideo, MN | 109 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,034 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| ATY Watertown, SD | 169 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the north (010°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 1,749 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| MKA Miller, SD | 248 nm out, 17 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,569 ft | ||||
| SPF Spearfish, SD | 447 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the east (080°) at 11 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 3,933 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| GCC Gillette, WY | 526 nm out, 1 nm west of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, a broken layer at 4,700 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet | from the north (010°) at 7 knots | 9 mi | 600 ft | 4,365 ft | 02:04 UTC |
| WRL Worland, WY | 635 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 4,251 ft | 02:04 UTC |
| DUB Dubois, WY | 714 nm out, 19 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light rain | from the east-southeast (120°) at 12 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 7,298 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| JAC Jackson, WY | 754 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 3,100 feet, overcast at 4,800 feet Weather: rain, mist | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 6 mi | 3,100 ft | 6,451 ft | 02:24 UTC |
| IDA Idaho Falls, ID | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet Weather: light rain | from the southeast (130°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 4,743 ft | 7:53 pm MDT (01:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,298 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IDA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:19 am MDT (09:19 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for IDA
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, rain, mist, a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Sun 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
The forecast for MSP, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south 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
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
Daylight
Sunset at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at IDA 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm MDT (01:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at IDA is before sunrise there (7:38 am MDT (13:38 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, Idaho Falls Regional.