Pensacola International to Harrisburg International PNS → MDT
774 nautical miles (891 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 038°, about 040° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 4-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:12 am EDT (13:12 UTC). Right now PNS is VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 4 knots; MDT is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 4 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 TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 248 to 625 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 337 to 476 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 427 to 715 nm out.
- 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 last 328 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 159 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 PNS.
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 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 9 forecast points nearest it (MOB, MGM, CSG, ATL, GSP, TRI, ROA, EKN, PSB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | +3 kt | 117 kt | 6 h 37 min | 9:34 am EDT (13:34 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | +9 kt | 12 °C | 111 kt | 6 h 58 min | 9:55 am EDT (13:55 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 25 kt | +10 kt | 11 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 02 min | 9:59 am EDT (13:59 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 25 kt | +10 kt | 8 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 02 min | 9:59 am EDT (13:59 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | +7 kt | 6 °C | 113 kt | 6 h 51 min | 9:48 am EDT (13:48 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | +5 kt | 2 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:41 am EDT (13:41 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 25 kt | +3 kt | -2 °C | 117 kt | 6 h 37 min | 9:34 am EDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 26 kt | +1 kt | -7 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 30 min | 9:27 am EDT (13:27 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 27 kt | +1 kt | -8 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 30 min | 9:27 am EDT (13:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 30 kt | −4 kt | -19 °C | 124 kt | 6 h 15 min | 9:12 am EDT (13:12 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 36 kt | +5 kt | -33 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:41 am EDT (13:41 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 36 kt | +1 kt | -40 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 30 min | 9:27 am EDT (13:27 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 34 kt | −2 kt | -48 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 21 min | 9:18 am EDT (13:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOB | used from 0 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 330/5 | 330/6 19° | 340/6 11° | 330/10 7° | 320/16 -5° | 310/26 -16° | 340/40 -32° | 340/47 -42° | 350/51 -52° |
| MGM | used from 50 nm out; 52 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° |
| CSG | used from 149 nm out; 14 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° |
| ATL | used from 199 nm out; 16 nm from the line | 320/30 | 330/37 16° | 340/44 11° | 330/35 7° | 310/33 -6° | 300/38 -18° | 330/58 -33° | 330/48 -40° | 320/34 -49° |
| GSP | used from 298 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 320/22 | 340/19 13° | 320/18 8° | 310/24 5° | 300/34 -7° | 300/36 -18° | 290/30 -33° | 300/32 -39° | 320/42 -49° |
| TRI | used from 397 nm out; 46 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° | |
| ROA | used from 496 nm out; 26 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° |
| EKN | used from 596 nm out; 51 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° | |
| PSB | used from 695 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 360/13 13° | 330/14 7° | 300/11 3° | 290/12 -11° | 240/23 -23° | 270/25 -36° | 250/34 -40° | 250/45 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNS Pensacola, FL | departure | VFR | from the west (280°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 120 ft | 1:53 am CDT (06:53 UTC) |
| CEW Crestview, FL | 40 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 213 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| TOI Troy, AL | 99 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 397 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| AUO Auburn, AL | 159 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 776 ft | 05:21 UTC | |
| LZU Lawrenceville, GA | 268 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (270°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,061 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| AVL Asheville, NC | 377 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 11 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 2,163 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| HKY Hickory, NC | 427 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,189 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| BCB Blacksburg, VA | 526 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet | from the west (270°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 2,119 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| ROA Roanoke, VA | 546 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 3,000 feet | from the west (280°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 1,175 ft | 06:01 UTC |
| VBW Bridgewater, VA | 625 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,600 feet, scattered clouds at 4,300 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet | calm | 7 mi | 5,000 ft | 1,165 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| MRB Martinsburg, WV | 705 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 564 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| MDT Harrisburg, PA | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the northwest (320°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 310 ft | 1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,163 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:12 am EDT (13:12 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MDT
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
The forecast for PNS, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 17 nm from the route, 705 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 24 nm from the route, 705 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at PNS 6:21 pm CDT (23:21 UTC), at MDT 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm EDT (22:59 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: Pensacola International, Harrisburg International.