Portland International to Salt Lake City International PDX → SLC
546 nautical miles (629 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 118°, about 102° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 01 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 16-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:04 am MDT (13:04 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PDX is VFR, wind calm; SLC is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 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: 5,166 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: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 367 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 407 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 238 nm of the route.
- 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 route from 407 to 447 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the last 10 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 PDX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (PDX, RDM, BOI, PIH, SLC). 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 | 330° at 6 kt | −5 kt | 0 °C | 125 kt | 4 h 22 min | 7:25 am MDT (13:25 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 5 kt | −4 kt | -3 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 24 min | 7:27 am MDT (13:27 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 4 kt | −3 kt | -5 °C | 123 kt | 4 h 26 min | 7:29 am MDT (13:29 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 6 kt | −5 kt | -8 °C | 125 kt | 4 h 22 min | 7:25 am MDT (13:25 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 260° at 8 kt | −6 kt | -11 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 20 min | 7:23 am MDT (13:23 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 11 kt | −6 kt | -14 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 20 min | 7:23 am MDT (13:23 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | −7 kt | -16 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 18 min | 7:21 am MDT (13:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 14 kt | −7 kt | -17 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 18 min | 7:21 am MDT (13:21 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 15 kt | −7 kt | -27 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 18 min | 7:21 am MDT (13:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 19 kt | −14 kt | -34 °C | 134 kt | 4 h 04 min | 7:07 am MDT (13:07 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 27 kt | −16 kt | -38 °C | 136 kt | 4 h 01 min | 7:04 am MDT (13:04 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 27 kt | −7 kt | -42 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 18 min | 7:21 am MDT (13:21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDX | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | 340/8 0° | 360/12 -6° | 010/30 -7° | 360/62 -15° | 360/67 -26° | 360/68 -40° | 350/61 -48° | 340/26 -44° |
| RDM | used from 50 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 360/14 -2° | 020/25 -8° | 360/34 -13° | 360/75 -16° | 360/88 -25° | 360/80 -39° | 350/47 -42° | 360/11 -43° | |
| BOI | used from 199 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 320/11 1° | 280/8 -5° | 220/14 -11° | 200/60 -19° | 190/66 -31° | 210/46 -32° | 220/50 -33° | 220/43 -39° | |
| PIH | used from 397 nm out; 93 nm from the line | 070/8 | 150/19 1° | 180/32 -4° | 210/44 -17° | 210/37 -28° | 210/74 -31° | 220/68 -35° | 220/60 -43° | |
| SLC | used from 447 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 200/16 | 210/23 4° | 220/34 -3° | 210/40 -16° | 220/66 -23° | 220/64 -31° | 220/57 -36° | 220/50 -43° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDX Portland, OR | departure | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 30 ft | 1:53 am PDT (08:53 UTC) |
| CZK Cascade Locks, OR | 20 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 151 ft | ||||
| GCD John Day, OR | 169 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,200 feet, a broken layer at 4,300 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 4,300 ft | 3,702 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| TWF Twin Falls, ID | 397 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,400 feet Weather: light rain | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 8 mi | 3,400 ft | 4,153 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| OGD Ogden, UT | 526 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 5,500 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 4,472 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| SLC Salt Lake City, UT | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet, overcast at 9,500 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 4,230 ft | 2:54 am MDT (08:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,472 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SLC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:04 am MDT (13:04 UTC)
Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SLC
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC) and 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind variable at 10 knots, gusting to 25, light rain showers, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
The forecast for PDX, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 pm PDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 PDX 6:28 pm PDT (01:28 UTC), at SLC 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm MDT (01:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SLC is before sunrise there (7:35 am MDT (13:35 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: Portland International, Salt Lake City International.