Pittsburgh International to Tri-Cities Airport PIT → TRI
262 nautical miles (301 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 204°, about 213° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 51 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 21-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:53 am EDT (07:53 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PIT is low IFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 6 knots; TRI is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 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: 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 whole route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Near the route, 233 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 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 PIT.
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 4 forecast points nearest it (AGC, EKN, CRW, TRI). 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 | 330° at 21 kt | −13 kt | 11 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 58 min | 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −14 kt | 10 °C | 134 kt | 1 h 57 min | 3:59 am EDT (07:59 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | −16 kt | 8 °C | 136 kt | 1 h 56 min | 3:58 am EDT (07:58 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 24 kt | −16 kt | 5 °C | 136 kt | 1 h 56 min | 3:58 am EDT (07:58 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 24 kt | −16 kt | 1 °C | 136 kt | 1 h 56 min | 3:58 am EDT (07:58 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 340° at 26 kt | −18 kt | -3 °C | 138 kt | 1 h 54 min | 3:56 am EDT (07:56 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 340° at 28 kt | −19 kt | -6 °C | 139 kt | 1 h 53 min | 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 340° at 30 kt | −20 kt | -9 °C | 140 kt | 1 h 52 min | 3:54 am EDT (07:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 34 kt | −21 kt | -20 °C | 141 kt | 1 h 51 min | 3:53 am EDT (07:53 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 37 kt | −20 kt | -35 °C | 140 kt | 1 h 52 min | 3:54 am EDT (07:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 39 kt | −13 kt | -39 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 58 min | 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 40 kt | −13 kt | -47 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 58 min | 4:00 am EDT (08:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGC | used from 0 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 350/14 | 330/20 11° | 340/18 8° | 330/17 3° | 340/22 -11° | 340/31 -22° | 330/33 -36° | 300/34 -41° | 300/35 -47° |
| EKN | used from 48 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 330/21 12° | 330/25 7° | 350/22 2° | 330/24 -10° | 310/27 -21° | 320/33 -35° | 290/31 -39° | 290/34 -47° | |
| CRW | used from 97 nm out; 22 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° |
| TRI | used from 194 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIT Pittsburgh, PA | departure | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 300 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the north-northwest (330°) at 6 knots | 4 mi | 300 ft | 1,202 ft | 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC) |
| HLG Wheeling, WV | 29 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 1,194 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PKB Parkersburg, WV | 87 nm out, 24 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 3 knots | 8 mi | 1,300 ft | 858 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| USW Spencer, WV | 116 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 928 ft | ||||
| CRW Charleston, WV | 145 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 knots | 1 mi | 500 ft | 947 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| JFZ Richlands, VA | 213 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 2,653 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| VJI Abingdon, VA | 242 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 2,087 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 1:53 am EDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,653 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TRI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:53 am EDT (07:53 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for TRI
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for PIT, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light drizzle, a broken layer at 300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at PIT 6:45 pm EDT (22:45 UTC), at TRI 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm EDT (23:23 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at TRI is before sunrise there (7:33 am EDT (11:33 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: Pittsburgh International, Tri-Cities Airport.