Chicago O'Hare International to Duluth International ORD → DLH
345 nautical miles (397 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 329°, about 332° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 54 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 10:39 am CDT (15:39 UTC). Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots; DLH is low IFR, wind from the east-northeast (070°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20. 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: 2,350 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 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 39 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 ORD.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E170 at 15,000 ft, 12 nm east, 6:56 am CDT (11:56 UTC): moderate chop turbulence. 168 nm along the route, 12 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
Y50 UA /OV Y50330025/TM 1156/FL150/TP E170/TB MOD CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through Y50
- Where
- 25 nm northwest (330°) of Y50
- Time
- 11:56 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 21 nm northeast, 5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC): no turbulence. 69 nm along the route, 21 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 1058/FL340/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through UES
- Where
- over BAE
- Time
- 10:58 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
- CRJ9 at 1,600 ft, 2 nm south, 7:26 am CDT (12:26 UTC): overcast from 1,600 ft to 3,500 ft, 14 °C, remarks: during the climb. At the destination end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DLH UA /OV DLH/TM 1226/FL016/TP CRJ9/SK 016OVC035/TA 14/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DLH
- Where
- over DLH
- Time
- 12:26 UTC
- Height
- at 1,600 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ9
- Sky
- 016OVC035
- Temperature
- 14 °C
- Remarks
- during the climb
- BE20 at 1,600 ft, 8 nm north, 6:45 am CDT (11:45 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 8 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
DLH UA /OV 10N DLH /TM 1145/FL016/TP BE20/SK B016 T035
- Report
- a routine report filed through DLH
- Where
- 10N dlh
- Time
- 11:45 UTC
- Height
- at 1,600 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Sky
- B016 T035
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 (JOT, GRB, LSE, DLH). 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 | 240° at 15 kt | +1 kt | 119 kt | 2 h 54 min | 10:39 am CDT (15:39 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +3 kt | 15 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 57 min | 10:42 am CDT (15:42 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +3 kt | 11 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 57 min | 10:42 am CDT (15:42 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 25 kt | +6 kt | 8 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 02 min | 10:47 am CDT (15:47 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 27 kt | +10 kt | 4 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 08 min | 10:53 am CDT (15:53 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 28 kt | +14 kt | -1 °C | 106 kt | 3 h 15 min | 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 29 kt | +18 kt | -6 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 23 min | 11:08 am CDT (16:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 31 kt | +21 kt | -10 °C | 99 kt | 3 h 29 min | 11:14 am CDT (16:14 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 34 kt | +24 kt | -21 °C | 96 kt | 3 h 36 min | 11:21 am CDT (16:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 37 kt | +24 kt | -37 °C | 96 kt | 3 h 36 min | 11:21 am CDT (16:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 47 kt | +28 kt | -44 °C | 92 kt | 3 h 45 min | 11:30 am CDT (16:30 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 62 kt | +45 kt | -49 °C | 75 kt | 4 h 36 min | 12:21 pm CDT (17:21 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| GRB | used from 49 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/22 17° | 240/18 8° | 280/21 6° | 280/34 -11° | 280/35 -21° | 280/39 -37° | 270/52 -45° | 290/60 -49° |
| LSE | used from 148 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 250/25 | 240/21 17° | 240/28 11° | 250/28 5° | 280/24 -10° | 280/31 -21° | 260/35 -37° | 270/45 -43° | 280/59 -47° |
| DLH | used from 246 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 090/31 | 250/7 14° | 250/26 11° | 250/36 4° | 280/36 -11° | 290/35 -22° | 300/39 -38° | 280/41 -44° | 280/66 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORD Chicago, IL | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 24,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 680 ft | 6:51 am CDT (11:51 UTC) |
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 20 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 728 ft | 11:51 UTC |
| UES Waukesha, WI | 59 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 911 ft | 12:45 UTC |
| MSN Madison, WI | 89 nm out, 18 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 24,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 886 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| ISW Wisconsin Rapids, WI | 168 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,021 ft | 13:54 UTC |
| CWA Mosinee, WI | 187 nm out, 22 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 17,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 17,000 ft | 1,277 ft | 11:50 UTC |
| RCX Ladysmith, WI | 246 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | calm | 7 mi | none | 1,239 ft | 12:35 UTC |
| HYR Hayward, WI | 286 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 1,215 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| OLG Solon Springs, WI | 306 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 12 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 1,102 ft | 12:35 UTC |
| DLH Duluth, MN | destination | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the east-northeast (070°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 1,427 ft | 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,427 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DLH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:39 am CDT (15:39 UTC)
Wind from the east at 15 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 400 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for DLH
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east at 15 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 400 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 16 knots, gusting to 27, visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 200 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC) and 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 400 feet (thunderheads)
- From Mon 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, overcast at 300 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 300 feet
- From Tue 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 500 feet
The forecast for ORD, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer 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 south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 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 ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at DLH 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 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: Chicago O'Hare International, Duluth International.