Tri-Cities Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport PSC → DCA
1,890 nautical miles (2,175 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 088°, about 073° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 11 h 23 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 46-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:31 pm EDT (17:31 UTC). 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
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the first 440 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 40 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 50 to 430 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 130 to 330 nm out.
- 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 180 to 980 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 460 to 560 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 510 to 570 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 600 to 610 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Near the route, 600 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). Over the route from 1100 to 1270 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 490 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1710 to 1840 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 100 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 PSC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 18 forecast points nearest it (LWS, DLN, BIL, MLS, DIK, PIR, ABR, FSD, MCW, LSE, DBQ, JOT, MKG, FWA, CLE, AGC, EKN, RIC). 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 | 250° at 10 kt | −8 kt | 128 kt | 14 h 46 min | 4:54 pm EDT (20:54 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 7 kt | −5 kt | 10 °C | 125 kt | 15 h 07 min | 5:15 pm EDT (21:15 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 6 kt | −5 kt | 8 °C | 125 kt | 15 h 07 min | 5:15 pm EDT (21:15 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 8 kt | −7 kt | 5 °C | 127 kt | 14 h 53 min | 5:01 pm EDT (21:01 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | −11 kt | 2 °C | 131 kt | 14 h 26 min | 4:34 pm EDT (20:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | −13 kt | -2 °C | 133 kt | 14 h 13 min | 4:21 pm EDT (20:21 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | −15 kt | -6 °C | 135 kt | 14 h | 4:08 pm EDT (20:08 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | −17 kt | -10 °C | 137 kt | 13 h 48 min | 3:56 pm EDT (19:56 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 20 kt | −18 kt | -11 °C | 138 kt | 13 h 42 min | 3:50 pm EDT (19:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 24 kt | −21 kt | -22 °C | 141 kt | 13 h 24 min | 3:32 pm EDT (19:32 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 29 kt | −27 kt | -35 °C | 147 kt | 12 h 51 min | 2:59 pm EDT (18:59 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 41 kt | −40 kt | -41 °C | 160 kt | 11 h 49 min | 1:57 pm EDT (17:57 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 46 kt | −46 kt | -47 °C | 166 kt | 11 h 23 min | 1:31 pm EDT (17:31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LWS | used from 0 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 070/10 | 080/12 -2° | 030/12 -6° | 080/7 -10° | 170/34 -21° | 160/46 -32° | 200/33 -35° | 220/22 -35° | 230/18 -38° |
| DLN | used from 200 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 090/6 -6° | 240/22 -4° | 210/34 -16° | 210/62 -25° | 210/66 -34° | 210/82 -36° | 220/77 -42° | ||
| BIL | used from 350 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 500 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| DIK | used from 650 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| PIR | used from 700 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| ABR | used from 850 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| FSD | used from 900 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| MCW | used from 1050 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| LSE | used from 1150 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| DBQ | used from 1200 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| JOT | used from 1300 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| MKG | used from 1400 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| FWA | used from 1450 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| CLE | used from 1550 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| AGC | used from 1650 nm out; 59 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 1800 nm out; 78 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° | |
| RIC | used from 1850 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 270/23 | 280/19 11° | 270/18 8° | 240/22 4° | 230/39 -7° | 220/55 -18° | 220/75 -30° | 230/83 -39° | 230/64 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSC Pasco, WA | departure | no report just now | 410 ft | ||||
| LWS Lewiston, ID | 90 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,442 ft | ||||
| BZN Bozeman, MT | 330 nm out, 23 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,473 ft | ||||
| BIL Billings, MT | 440 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,662 ft | ||||
| ATY Watertown, SD | 920 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,749 ft | ||||
| RST Rochester, MN | 1130 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,317 ft | ||||
| JVL Janesville, WI | 1300 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 807 ft | ||||
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 1350 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 728 ft | ||||
| MFD Mansfield, OH | 1610 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,297 ft | ||||
| JYO Leesburg, VA | 1860 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 389 ft | ||||
| DCA Washington, DC | destination | no report just now | 14 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,473 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:31 pm EDT (17:31 UTC)
DCA has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 18 nm from the route, 1680 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 18 nm from the route, 1680 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at PSC 6:15 pm PDT (01:15 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 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: Tri-Cities Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.