Montrose Regional to Bozeman Yellowstone International MTJ → BZN
460 nautical miles (529 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 343°, about 331° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 36-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:05 am MDT (10:05 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MTJ is VFR, wind calm; BZN is marginal VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 4 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 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 first 160 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 280 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 300 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 420 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 120 to 400 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 120 to 170 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 130 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 40 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. 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 MTJ.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E170 at 4,800 ft, 18 nm west, 12:31 am MDT (06:31 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, clear from 4,800 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc. 40 nm along the route, 18 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
GJT UA /OV GJT/TM 0631/FL048/TP E170/SK SKC/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM DURD RNAV Y 11 LGJT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through GJT
- Where
- over GJT
- Time
- 06:31 UTC
- Height
- at 4,800 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc
- E73L descending, 0 nm northwest, 12:20 am MDT (06:20 UTC): remarks: breaking action good broke out about 600FT above ground. At the destination end, 0 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 0620/FLDURD/TP E73L/RM BREAKING ACTION GOOD. BROKE OUT ABOUT 600FT AGL
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 06:20 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- E73L
- Remarks
- breaking action good broke out about 600FT above ground
- B737 , 0 nm northwest, 11:31 pm MDT (05:31 UTC): remarks: saw the light at 500FT braking good no icing. At the destination end, 0 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 0531/FLBURD/TP B737/RM SAW THE LIGHT AT 500FT. BRAKING GOOD. NEG ICING
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 05:31 UTC
- Height
- at BURD
- Aircraft
- B737
- Remarks
- saw the light at 500FT braking good no icing
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 4 forecast points nearest it (GJT, RKS, LND, DLN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 27 kt | −21 kt | 2 °C | 141 kt | 3 h 16 min | 4:24 am MDT (10:24 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 31 kt | −19 kt | 1 °C | 139 kt | 3 h 19 min | 4:27 am MDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 36 kt | −16 kt | -1 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 23 min | 4:31 am MDT (10:31 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 37 kt | −18 kt | -5 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 20 min | 4:28 am MDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 38 kt | −20 kt | -9 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 17 min | 4:25 am MDT (10:25 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 39 kt | −22 kt | -12 °C | 142 kt | 3 h 14 min | 4:22 am MDT (10:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 51 kt | −28 kt | -24 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 06 min | 4:14 am MDT (10:14 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 210° at 57 kt | −35 kt | -29 °C | 155 kt | 2 h 58 min | 4:06 am MDT (10:06 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 67 kt | −36 kt | -35 °C | 156 kt | 2 h 57 min | 4:05 am MDT (10:05 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 65 kt | −29 kt | -44 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 05 min | 4:13 am MDT (10:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GJT | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 210/43 7° | 230/45 1° | 220/49 -12° | 220/62 -22° | 220/59 -28° | 230/60 -33° | 220/55 -45° | ||
| RKS | used from 100 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| LND | used from 250 nm out; 45 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° | ||
| DLN | used from 350 nm out; 100 nm from the line | 090/6 -6° | 240/22 -4° | 210/34 -16° | 210/62 -25° | 210/66 -34° | 210/82 -36° | 220/77 -42° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTJ Montrose, CO | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,758 ft | 12:53 am MDT (06:53 UTC) |
| GJT Grand Junction, CO | 40 nm out, 18 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet | from the east-southeast (120°) at 15 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 4,861 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| RKS Rock Springs, WY | 190 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,300 feet, overcast at 4,100 feet Weather: light rain | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots | 7 mi | 4,100 ft | 6,764 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| PNA Pinedale, WY | 270 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 3,500 ft | 7,096 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| DUB Dubois, WY | 310 nm out, 16 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,200 feet, a broken layer at 5,500 feet, overcast at 7,000 feet | from the west (270°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 7,298 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| WYS West Yellowstone, MT | 400 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | 400 ft | 6,649 ft | 06:50 UTC |
| BZN Bozeman, MT | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 3,700 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots | 5 mi | 3,700 ft | 4,473 ft | 12:56 am MDT (06:56 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 BZN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:05 am MDT (10:05 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BZN
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 2 miles, light snow, a broken layer at 200 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm MDT (20:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
The forecast for MTJ, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at MTJ 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 UTC), at BZN 6:42 pm MDT (00:42 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:12 pm MDT (01:12 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BZN is before sunrise there (7:36 am MDT (13:36 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: Montrose Regional, Bozeman Yellowstone International.