St. Pete-Clearwater International to Des Moines International PIE → DSM
979 nautical miles (1,127 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 330°, about 335° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 9 h 04 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 11:44 am CDT (16:44 UTC). Right now PIE is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots; DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) 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: 366 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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Near the route, 460 nm along the route.
- 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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 130 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 PIE.
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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (PIE, TLH, CSG, MGM, BHM, HSV, CGI, STL, COU, BRL, DSM). 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 | 290° at 15 kt | +12 kt | 108 kt | 9 h 04 min | 11:44 am CDT (16:44 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +15 kt | 16 °C | 105 kt | 9 h 19 min | 11:59 am CDT (16:59 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 17 kt | +16 kt | 12 °C | 104 kt | 9 h 25 min | 12:05 pm CDT (17:05 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | +15 kt | 9 °C | 105 kt | 9 h 19 min | 11:59 am CDT (16:59 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | +13 kt | 5 °C | 107 kt | 9 h 09 min | 11:49 am CDT (16:49 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 17 kt | +14 kt | 1 °C | 106 kt | 9 h 14 min | 11:54 am CDT (16:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 19 kt | +15 kt | -3 °C | 105 kt | 9 h 19 min | 11:59 am CDT (16:59 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 21 kt | +15 kt | -7 °C | 105 kt | 9 h 19 min | 11:59 am CDT (16:59 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 25 kt | +20 kt | -18 °C | 100 kt | 9 h 47 min | 12:27 pm CDT (17:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 33 kt | +30 kt | -32 °C | 90 kt | 10 h 53 min | 1:33 pm CDT (18:33 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 39 kt | +36 kt | -41 °C | 84 kt | 11 h 39 min | 2:19 pm CDT (19:19 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 37 kt | +34 kt | -51 °C | 86 kt | 11 h 23 min | 2:03 pm CDT (19:03 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIE | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 350/6 | L/V 18° | 290/6 14° | 280/9 9° | 250/18 -6° | 250/23 -17° | 240/30 -31° | 220/31 -41° | 220/30 -52° |
| TLH | used from 100 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/31 18° | 340/24 13° | 310/17 8° | 280/22 -7° | 300/25 -17° | 320/28 -33° | 320/24 -41° | 320/25 -50° |
| CSG | used from 250 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 310/24 | 340/35 17° | 340/37 12° | 330/22 8° | 310/30 -7° | 290/30 -18° | 340/57 -32° | 340/55 -41° | 320/33 -49° |
| MGM | used from 300 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 310/19 | 340/24 17° | 340/28 11° | 330/16 7° | 300/23 -7° | 320/32 -16° | 330/46 -33° | 330/55 -42° | 330/41 -50° |
| BHM | used from 350 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/20 17° | 320/28 11° | 340/21 6° | 310/22 -7° | 330/33 -17° | 330/50 -32° | 330/57 -41° | 330/41 -50° |
| HSV | used from 450 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| CGI | used from 550 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| STL | used from 699 nm out; 40 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 799 nm out; 46 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° |
| BRL | used from 849 nm out; 66 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° |
| DSM | used from 899 nm out; 55 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIE St Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | departure | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 10 ft | 2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC) |
| CDK Cedar Key, FL | 70 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 11 ft | ||||
| TLH Tallahassee, FL | 170 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 83 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| DHN Dothan, AL | 250 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 400 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| AUO Auburn, AL | 320 nm out, 25 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 776 ft | 05:21 UTC | |
| BHM Birmingham, AL | 400 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 650 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| MKL Jackson, TN | 560 nm out, 24 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 660 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 341 ft | 20:53 UTC |
| SUS St Louis, MO | 759 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northwest (330°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 463 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| IRK Kirksville, MO | 879 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 966 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| TVK Centerville, IA | 919 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots, gusting to 13 | 9 mi | none | 1,023 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 21,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 957 ft | 1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,023 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DSM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:44 am CDT (16:44 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DSM
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for PIE, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 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 PIE 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 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: St. Pete-Clearwater International, Des Moines International.