Norfolk International to Grand Junction Regional ORF → GJT
1,527 nautical miles (1,757 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 285°, about 294° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC). 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 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 30 to 549 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the route from 40 to 150 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 130 to 230 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 150 to 319 nm out.
- 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 778 to 1258 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the last 259 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 259 nm of the route.
- 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 last 160 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 50 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 ORF.
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 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 14 forecast points nearest it (ORF, RIC, ROA, CRW, CVG, LOU, EVV, STL, COU, MKC, SLN, GLD, DEN, GJT). 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 | 250° at 24 kt | +23 kt | 97 kt | 15 h 45 min | 3:47 pm MDT (21:47 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 22 kt | +22 kt | 15 °C | 98 kt | 15 h 35 min | 3:37 pm MDT (21:37 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | +20 kt | 11 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 16 min | 3:18 pm MDT (21:18 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +18 kt | 8 °C | 102 kt | 14 h 58 min | 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +18 kt | 4 °C | 102 kt | 14 h 58 min | 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | +20 kt | 0 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 16 min | 3:18 pm MDT (21:18 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +22 kt | -4 °C | 98 kt | 15 h 35 min | 3:37 pm MDT (21:37 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 22 kt | +23 kt | -7 °C | 97 kt | 15 h 45 min | 3:47 pm MDT (21:47 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 27 kt | +27 kt | -20 °C | 93 kt | 16 h 25 min | 4:27 pm MDT (22:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 40 kt | +40 kt | -31 °C | 80 kt | 19 h 05 min | 7:07 pm MDT (01:07 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 47 kt | +48 kt | -38 °C | 72 kt | 21 h 12 min | 9:14 pm MDT (03:14 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 44 kt | +44 kt | -48 °C | 76 kt | 20 h 06 min | 8:08 pm MDT (02:08 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORF | used from 0 nm out; 25 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° |
| RIC | used from 50 nm out; 26 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° |
| ROA | used from 100 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
| CRW | used from 250 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 330/20 | 330/23 11° | 340/25 8° | 340/21 2° | 340/33 -9° | 340/41 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/44 -39° | 320/43 -47° |
| CVG | used from 349 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| LOU | used from 399 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| EVV | used from 499 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| STL | used from 599 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| COU | used from 749 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| MKC | used from 798 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| SLN | used from 948 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GLD | used from 1098 nm out; 87 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° | |
| DEN | used from 1297 nm out; 40 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° | ||
| GJT | used from 1447 nm out; 55 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORF Norfolk, VA | departure | no report just now | 26 ft | ||||
| PHF Newport News, VA | 20 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 42 ft | ||||
| LWB Lewisburg, WV | 210 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,301 ft | ||||
| HTS Huntington, WV | 319 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 828 ft | ||||
| LOU Louisville, KY | 459 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 545 ft | ||||
| ALN Alton/St Louis, IL | 669 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 543 ft | ||||
| MCI Kansas City, MO | 888 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,027 ft | ||||
| MHK Manhattan, KS | 978 nm out, 14 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,066 ft | ||||
| CBK Colby, KS | 1178 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 3,188 ft | ||||
| APA Denver, CO | 1357 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,884 ft | ||||
| ASE Aspen, CO | 1447 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 7,837 ft | ||||
| GJT Grand Junction, CO | destination | no report just now | 4,861 ft |
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 GJT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC)
GJT has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 3 nm from the route, 769 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 18 nm from the route, 1387 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at ORF 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC), at GJT 6:38 pm MDT (00:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:05 pm MDT (01:05 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: Norfolk International, Grand Junction Regional.