Montrose Regional to Chicago O'Hare International MTJ → ORD
937 nautical miles (1,078 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 071°, about 059° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 56-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:22 am CDT (11:22 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MTJ is VFR, wind variable at 3 knots; ORD is VFR, wind from the south (190°) 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: 294 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 140 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 249 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 239 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure end.
- 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 249 to 817 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 MTJ.
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 (GJT, ALS, DEN, GLD, GRI, OMA, DSM, BRL, DBQ, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 35 kt | −33 kt | 21 °C | 153 kt | 6 h 07 min | 7:10 am CDT (12:10 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −26 kt | 14 °C | 146 kt | 6 h 25 min | 7:28 am CDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | −22 kt | 11 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 36 min | 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −23 kt | 7 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 33 min | 7:36 am CDT (12:36 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −24 kt | 2 °C | 144 kt | 6 h 30 min | 7:33 am CDT (12:33 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | −26 kt | -2 °C | 146 kt | 6 h 25 min | 7:28 am CDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | −28 kt | -7 °C | 148 kt | 6 h 20 min | 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 29 kt | −29 kt | -8 °C | 149 kt | 6 h 17 min | 7:20 am CDT (12:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 35 kt | −35 kt | -20 °C | 155 kt | 6 h 03 min | 7:06 am CDT (12:06 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 48 kt | −48 kt | -32 °C | 168 kt | 5 h 35 min | 6:38 am CDT (11:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 55 kt | −56 kt | -38 °C | 176 kt | 5 h 19 min | 6:22 am CDT (11:22 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 54 kt | −55 kt | -48 °C | 175 kt | 5 h 21 min | 6:24 am CDT (11:24 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; 60 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° | ||
| ALS | used from 50 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| DEN | used from 100 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° | ||
| GLD | used from 249 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| GRI | used from 399 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| OMA | used from 498 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| DSM | used from 648 nm out; 11 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° |
| BRL | used from 748 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| DBQ | used from 797 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| JOT | used from 847 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTJ Montrose, CO | departure | VFR | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,758 ft | 11:53 pm MDT (05:53 UTC) |
| ASE Aspen, CO | 60 nm out, 25 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 7,837 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| APA Denver, CO | 159 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,884 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| RYA Wray, CO | 279 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,677 ft | ||||
| MCK Mc Cook, NE | 349 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,582 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 468 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,847 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 528 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| OMA Omaha, NE | 578 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 984 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 678 nm out, 10 nm north 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 |
| MLI Moline, IL | 817 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 917 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 758 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| ORD Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 30,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 680 ft | 12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,837 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ORD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:22 am CDT (11:22 UTC)
Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ORD
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 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
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 8 nm from the route, 120 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at MTJ 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 UTC), at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORD is before sunrise there (7:00 am CDT (12:00 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, Chicago O'Hare International.