Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport to Norfolk International MSP → ORF
907 nautical miles (1,043 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 116°, about 116° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:04 am EDT (08:04 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 690 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 7E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 33,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 588 to 827 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120155 MKCE WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7E VALID UNTIL 0355Z PA MD VA DC WV OH FROM 10NNE JST-30WNW SBY-40ENE RIC-50SW BKW-20SE APE-10NNE JST AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL330.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 458 to 827 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 628 to 767 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the route from 707 to 747 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
Not fetched just now.
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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (MSP, LSE, GRB, MKG, FWA, CMH, AGC, EKN, RIC, ORF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 6 h 40 min | 5:14 am EDT (09:14 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 290° at 17 kt | −17 kt | 12 °C | 137 kt | 6 h 37 min | 5:11 am EDT (09:11 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 290° at 15 kt | −16 kt | 12 °C | 136 kt | 6 h 40 min | 5:14 am EDT (09:14 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | −14 kt | 8 °C | 134 kt | 6 h 46 min | 5:20 am EDT (09:20 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 290° at 12 kt | −12 kt | 5 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 52 min | 5:26 am EDT (09:26 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 290° at 14 kt | −14 kt | 1 °C | 134 kt | 6 h 46 min | 5:20 am EDT (09:20 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 290° at 18 kt | −17 kt | -3 °C | 137 kt | 6 h 37 min | 5:11 am EDT (09:11 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 21 kt | −21 kt | -8 °C | 141 kt | 6 h 26 min | 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 22 kt | −21 kt | -9 °C | 141 kt | 6 h 26 min | 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 27 kt | −25 kt | -20 °C | 145 kt | 6 h 15 min | 4:49 am EDT (08:49 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 34 kt | −32 kt | -35 °C | 152 kt | 5 h 58 min | 4:32 am EDT (08:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 43 kt | −41 kt | -42 °C | 161 kt | 5 h 38 min | 4:12 am EDT (08:12 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 47 kt | −45 kt | -50 °C | 165 kt | 5 h 30 min | 4:04 am EDT (08:04 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° |
| LSE | used from 50 nm out; 32 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° |
| GRB | used from 199 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
| MKG | used from 249 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| FWA | used from 349 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| CMH | used from 498 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 330/15 | 340/22 14° | 340/24 9° | 340/23 4° | 340/35 -9° | 340/49 -20° | 340/58 -37° | 330/70 -42° | 340/55 -47° |
| AGC | used from 598 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 350/14 | 330/20 11° | 340/18 8° | 330/17 3° | 340/22 -11° | 340/31 -22° | 330/33 -36° | 300/34 -41° | 300/35 -47° |
| EKN | used from 648 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 330/21 12° | 330/25 7° | 350/22 2° | 330/24 -10° | 310/27 -21° | 320/33 -35° | 290/31 -39° | 290/34 -47° | |
| RIC | used from 747 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 270/23 | 280/19 11° | 270/18 8° | 240/22 4° | 230/39 -7° | 220/55 -18° | 220/75 -30° | 230/83 -39° | 230/64 -50° |
| ORF | used from 897 nm out; 5 nm from the line | 250/24 | 230/32 11° | 220/37 10° | 220/37 6° | 230/47 -5° | 230/62 -17° | 220/89 -30° | 220/93 -40° | 230/77 -51° |
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 | no report just now | 841 ft | ||||
| RGK Red Wing, MN | 40 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 778 ft | ||||
| CMY Sparta, WI | 120 nm out, 1 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 839 ft | ||||
| UES Waukesha, WI | 239 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 911 ft | ||||
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 279 nm out, 22 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 728 ft | ||||
| EKM Elkhart, IN | 369 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 777 ft | ||||
| MFD Mansfield, OH | 528 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,297 ft | ||||
| PKB Parkersburg, WV | 618 nm out, 25 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 858 ft | ||||
| CKB Clarksburg, WV | 667 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,223 ft | ||||
| CHO Charlottesville, VA | 777 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 640 ft | ||||
| PHF Newport News, VA | 887 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 42 ft | ||||
| ORF Norfolk, VA | destination | no report just now | 26 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,297 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ORF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:04 am EDT (08:04 UTC)
ORF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 ORF 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm EDT (22:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORF is before sunrise there (7:09 am EDT (11:09 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, Norfolk International.