Prescott Rgnl/Ernest A Love Field to Tucson International PRC → TUS
169 nautical miles (195 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 154°, about 141° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (5,500 ft, a 9-knot headwind), arriving about 6:41 pm MST (01:41 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PRC is marginal VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots, gusting to 24; TUS is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 12 knots, gusting to 21. 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: 2 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
- SIGMET W69W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 6:55 pm MST (01:55 UTC). Over the whole route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112355 MKCW WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 69W VALID UNTIL 0155Z TX NM AZ FROM 50ENE PGS-60SE ABQ-20ENE ELP-70SSW SSO-50SE BZA-50ENE PGS AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 20 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 20 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 60 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 20 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 PRC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- CRJ2 at 6,200 ft, 2 nm northeast, 2:51 pm MST (21:51 UTC): overcast above 6,200 ft, remarks: wind shear +10/-5 short final RY21L. At the departure end, 2 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
PRC UA /OV PRC030002/TM 2151/FL062/TP CRJ2/SK OVC062/RM WIND SHEAR +10/-5 SHORT FINAL RY21L
- Report
- a routine report filed through PRC
- Where
- 2 nm northeast (030°) of PRC
- Time
- 21:51 UTC
- Height
- at 6,200 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ2
- Sky
- overcast from 6,200 ft
- Remarks
- wind shear +10/-5 short final RY21L
- B738 at 17,000 ft, 9 nm west, 4:54 pm MST (23:54 UTC): light rime icing, 9 °C, remarks: during the descent. 50 nm along the route, 9 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
PHX UA /OV PXR330030/TM 2354/FL170/TP B738/TA 09/IC LGT RIME/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through PHX
- Where
- 30 nm northwest (330°) of PXR
- Time
- 23:54 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Temperature
- 9 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- during the descent
- F2TH descending, 2 nm southeast, 3:58 pm MST (22:58 UTC): light turbulence. At the destination end, 2 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TUS UA /OV R22 FINAL/TM 2258/FLDURD/TP F2TH/TB LT TURBULENCE 14000 TO 9000FT
- Report
- a routine report filed through TUS
- Where
- R22 final
- Time
- 22:58 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- F2TH
- Turbulence
- lt turbulence wind from 140° at 0 knots to 9000FT
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 3 forecast points nearest it (PRC, PHX, TUS). 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 | 220° at 18 kt | +9 kt | 15 °C | 111 kt | 1 h 31 min | 6:41 pm MST (01:41 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 26 kt | +16 kt | 9 °C | 104 kt | 1 h 38 min | 6:48 pm MST (01:48 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 32 kt | +20 kt | 6 °C | 100 kt | 1 h 41 min | 6:51 pm MST (01:51 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 41 kt | +23 kt | 3 °C | 97 kt | 1 h 45 min | 6:55 pm MST (01:55 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 210° at 46 kt | +24 kt | 0 °C | 96 kt | 1 h 46 min | 6:56 pm MST (01:56 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 210° at 50 kt | +25 kt | -4 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 47 min | 6:57 pm MST (01:57 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 54 kt | +25 kt | -7 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 47 min | 6:57 pm MST (01:57 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 55 kt | +25 kt | -8 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 47 min | 6:57 pm MST (01:57 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 68 kt | +28 kt | -19 °C | 92 kt | 1 h 50 min | 7:00 pm MST (02:00 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 78 kt | +32 kt | -26 °C | 88 kt | 1 h 55 min | 7:05 pm MST (02:05 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 78 kt | +19 kt | -35 °C | 101 kt | 1 h 40 min | 6:50 pm MST (01:50 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 67 kt | +16 kt | -47 °C | 104 kt | 1 h 38 min | 6:48 pm MST (01:48 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRC | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/36 6° | 210/46 0° | 220/60 -10° | 220/75 -19° | 220/66 -26° | 230/70 -33° | 230/59 -45° | ||
| PHX | used from 50 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 210/19 | 210/20 14° | 200/20 6° | 210/40 1° | 220/58 -8° | 220/68 -20° | 220/82 -26° | 230/83 -34° | 230/69 -46° |
| TUS | used from 100 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 220/17 15° | 210/32 7° | 210/43 5° | 210/49 -7° | 220/64 -18° | 220/83 -26° | 230/81 -36° | 230/72 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRC Prescott, AZ | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,600 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots, gusting to 24 | 10+ mi | 2,600 ft | 5,045 ft | 4:53 pm MST (23:53 UTC) |
| FFZ Mesa, AZ | 80 nm out, 1 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 feet, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 1,394 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| IWA Phoenix, AZ | 90 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,500 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 11 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 1,384 ft | 23:52 UTC |
| AVQ Marana, AZ | 149 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 14 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 2,031 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| TUS Tucson, AZ | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 12 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 2,643 ft | 4:53 pm MST (23:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,045 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:41 pm MST (01:41 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for TUS
- From Sun 5:00 pm MST (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm MST (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am MST (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am MST (14:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet
The forecast for PRC, the departure
- From Sun 5:00 pm MST (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 2,500 feet
- At times between Sun 5:00 pm MST (00:00 UTC) and 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 6,000 feet, overcast at 7,000 feet
- From Sun 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am MST (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am MST (18:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 3,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am MST (18:00 UTC) and 3:00 pm MST (22:00 UTC): wind variable at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility 5 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, overcast at 1,500 feet (thunderheads)
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 PRC 5:59 pm MST (00:59 UTC), at TUS 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:19 pm MST (01:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at TUS is after sunset there (5:56 pm MST (00:56 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: Prescott Rgnl/Ernest A Love Field, Tucson International.