Tri-Cities Airport to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport PSC → MSP
1,087 nautical miles (1,251 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 085°, about 070° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 46-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:39 am CDT (16:39 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: 729 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 C16C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 4:55 am PDT (11:55 UTC). Over the route from 718 to 808 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120955 MKCC WST 120955 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 16C VALID UNTIL 1155Z SD ND FROM BIS-60NNW ABR-40SSE DPR-50NNW DPR-BIS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 518 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 249 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 449 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 130 to 1007 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 538 to 618 nm out.
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 08:00–15:00 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 10 forecast points nearest it (LWS, DLN, GTF, BIL, MLS, DIK, PIR, ABR, AXN, MSP). 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 | 260° at 7 kt | −6 kt | 5 °C | 126 kt | 8 h 38 min | 1:44 pm CDT (18:44 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 11 kt | −9 kt | 5 °C | 129 kt | 8 h 26 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | −11 kt | 2 °C | 131 kt | 8 h 18 min | 1:24 pm CDT (18:24 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | −13 kt | 0 °C | 133 kt | 8 h 10 min | 1:16 pm CDT (18:16 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | −13 kt | -4 °C | 133 kt | 8 h 10 min | 1:16 pm CDT (18:16 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | −12 kt | -8 °C | 132 kt | 8 h 14 min | 1:20 pm CDT (18:20 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | −11 kt | -13 °C | 131 kt | 8 h 18 min | 1:24 pm CDT (18:24 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 21 kt | −11 kt | -14 °C | 131 kt | 8 h 18 min | 1:24 pm CDT (18:24 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 37 kt | −20 kt | -25 °C | 140 kt | 7 h 46 min | 12:52 pm CDT (17:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 38 kt | −26 kt | -34 °C | 146 kt | 7 h 27 min | 12:33 pm CDT (17:33 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 45 kt | −34 kt | -38 °C | 154 kt | 7 h 04 min | 12:10 pm CDT (17:10 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 55 kt | −46 kt | -45 °C | 166 kt | 6 h 33 min | 11:39 am CDT (16:39 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 | L/V | 340/5 -3° | L/V -6° | 040/7 -10° | 100/23 -22° | 180/30 -31° | 190/11 -34° | 200/11 -36° | 220/23 -40° |
| DLN | used from 199 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 190/10 -4° | 220/23 -4° | 210/21 -18° | 210/43 -28° | 210/60 -33° | 210/72 -37° | 210/67 -44° | ||
| GTF | used from 299 nm out; 61 nm from the line | L/V | L/V -7° | 240/8 -8° | 240/30 -14° | 240/40 -28° | 210/52 -38° | 210/76 -38° | 220/72 -43° | |
| BIL | used from 349 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 498 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| DIK | used from 598 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 748 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| ABR | used from 798 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 080/12 | 210/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 5° | 220/28 -10° | 230/41 -21° | 250/36 -36° | 260/47 -39° | 260/63 -47° |
| AXN | used from 947 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 110/6 | 260/10 16° | 240/17 12° | 250/20 5° | 260/29 -10° | 260/35 -22° | 260/29 -38° | 270/48 -41° | 270/61 -48° |
| MSP | used from 1047 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 250/12 | 250/17 17° | 240/26 12° | 250/26 5° | 280/26 -9° | 280/32 -22° | 270/37 -38° | 280/47 -41° | 280/55 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSC Pasco, WA | departure | no report just now | 410 ft | ||||
| LWS Lewiston, ID | 90 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,442 ft | ||||
| HRF Hamilton, MT | 209 nm out, 12 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,635 ft | ||||
| HLN Helena, MT | 299 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,877 ft | ||||
| HWQ Harlowton, MT | 389 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | no report just now | 4,311 ft | ||||
| RPX Roundup, MT | 439 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,490 ft | ||||
| MLS Miles City, MT | 548 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,634 ft | ||||
| BWW Bowman, ND | 658 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,965 ft | ||||
| ABR Aberdeen, SD | 867 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,301 ft | ||||
| VVV Ortonville, MN | 947 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,101 ft | ||||
| LJF Litchfield, MN | 1027 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,139 ft | ||||
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | destination | no report just now | 841 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,311 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:39 am CDT (16:39 UTC)
MSP has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at PSC 6:13 pm PDT (01:13 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 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, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.