Chicago O'Hare International to Range Regional ORD → HIB
387 nautical miles (445 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 329°, about 332° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 10:32 pm CDT (03:32 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 6 knots; HIB is VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 10 knots, gusting to 16. 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 ZULU 4C: moderate icing up to 20,000 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 ORD.
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 20:00–03:00 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 19 kt | +1 kt | 119 kt | 3 h 15 min | 10:32 pm CDT (03:32 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | +4 kt | 15 °C | 116 kt | 3 h 20 min | 10:37 pm CDT (03:37 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +7 kt | 11 °C | 113 kt | 3 h 25 min | 10:42 pm CDT (03:42 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +7 kt | 8 °C | 113 kt | 3 h 25 min | 10:42 pm CDT (03:42 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | +6 kt | 4 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 24 min | 10:41 pm CDT (03:41 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +10 kt | -1 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 31 min | 10:48 pm CDT (03:48 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 22 kt | +14 kt | -6 °C | 106 kt | 3 h 39 min | 10:56 pm CDT (03:56 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 25 kt | +16 kt | -10 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 43 min | 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 37 kt | +29 kt | -21 °C | 91 kt | 4 h 15 min | 11:32 pm CDT (04:32 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 50 kt | +43 kt | -37 °C | 77 kt | 5 h 02 min | 12:19 am CDT (05:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 57 kt | +52 kt | -46 °C | 68 kt | 5 h 41 min | 12:58 am CDT (05:58 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 78 kt | +68 kt | -53 °C | 52 kt | 7 h 27 min | 2:44 am CDT (07:44 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 | 230/11 | 290/12 16° | 300/19 10° | 320/19 4° | 300/17 -9° | 330/31 -20° | 320/49 -37° | 320/53 -45° | 320/67 -49° |
| GRB | used from 50 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 240/24 | 260/18 16° | 270/20 11° | 290/14 4° | 280/24 -9° | 300/34 -21° | 310/51 -38° | 310/54 -48° | 300/71 -51° |
| LSE | used from 149 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 220/33 | 250/29 17° | 250/15 9° | 260/12 6° | 280/21 -9° | 280/33 -20° | 300/43 -36° | 310/56 -45° | 300/79 -53° |
| DLH | used from 248 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 240/6 | 230/22 15° | 250/28 11° | 230/22 4° | 270/33 -12° | 280/47 -21° | 280/59 -37° | 290/65 -47° | 290/88 -55° |
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 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 680 ft | 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) |
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 20 nm out, 16 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 728 ft | 23:51 UTC |
| UES Waukesha, WI | 60 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 911 ft | 23:45 UTC |
| MSN Madison, WI | 89 nm out, 17 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 886 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| ISW Wisconsin Rapids, WI | 169 nm out, 5 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 | 179 nm out, 24 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,277 ft | 23:50 UTC |
| RCX Ladysmith, WI | 248 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,239 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| HYR Hayward, WI | 288 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,215 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| OLG Solon Springs, WI | 308 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,102 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| DLH Duluth, MN | 347 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 12,000 feet | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 1,427 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| HIB Hibbing, MN | destination | VFR | from the north (360°) at 10 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 1,353 ft | 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 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 HIB when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:32 pm CDT (03:32 UTC)
Wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for HIB
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 12,000 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the east at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the east at 9 knots, gusting to 16, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 900 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the east at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC) and 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 700 feet
The forecast for ORD, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 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
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 HIB 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at HIB is after sunset there (6:31 pm CDT (23:31 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, Range Regional.