Rapid City Regional to Denver International RAP → DEN
261 nautical miles (301 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 197°, about 189° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 26-knot headwind), arriving about 12:13 am MDT (06:13 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RAP is low IFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 4 knots; DEN is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 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: 5,736 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 2C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm MDT (04:55 UTC). Near the route, 126 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120255 MKCC WST 120255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 2C VALID UNTIL 0455Z NE CO WY FROM 40SE CZI-30WNW BFF-30SSE LAR-70NW LAR-40SE CZI AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- 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 first 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 252 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 126 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 RAP.
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 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 3 forecast points nearest it (RAP, BFF, DEN). 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 | 180° at 27 kt | +26 kt | 12 °C | 94 kt | 2 h 47 min | 12:13 am MDT (06:13 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 190° at 27 kt | +27 kt | 12 °C | 93 kt | 2 h 48 min | 12:14 am MDT (06:14 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | +27 kt | 14 °C | 93 kt | 2 h 48 min | 12:14 am MDT (06:14 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 32 kt | +29 kt | 11 °C | 91 kt | 2 h 52 min | 12:18 am MDT (06:18 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +30 kt | 6 °C | 90 kt | 2 h 54 min | 12:20 am MDT (06:20 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 35 kt | +31 kt | 0 °C | 89 kt | 2 h 56 min | 12:22 am MDT (06:22 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -5 °C | 89 kt | 2 h 56 min | 12:22 am MDT (06:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 36 kt | +31 kt | -9 °C | 89 kt | 2 h 56 min | 12:22 am MDT (06:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 42 kt | +38 kt | -21 °C | 82 kt | 3 h 11 min | 12:37 am MDT (06:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 43 kt | +38 kt | -33 °C | 82 kt | 3 h 11 min | 12:37 am MDT (06:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 50 kt | +35 kt | -36 °C | 85 kt | 3 h 04 min | 12:30 am MDT (06:30 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 53 kt | +33 kt | -46 °C | 87 kt | 3 h | 12:26 am MDT (06:26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| BFF | used from 48 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° | |
| DEN | used from 194 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP Rapid City, SD | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (110°) at 4 knots | 1.75 mi | 300 ft | 3,203 ft | 9:03 pm MDT (03:03 UTC) |
| HSR Hot Springs, SD | 39 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 3,150 ft | ||||
| CDR Chadron, NE | 68 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (020°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,297 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| TOR Torrington, WY | 126 nm out, 13 nm west of the line | VFR | from the east (080°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,206 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | 136 nm out, 15 nm east of the line | VFR | from the east (100°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,967 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO | 232 nm out, 24 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the northeast (050°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,020 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| DEN Denver, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 14,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 knots | 10+ mi | 22,000 ft | 5,433 ft | 8:53 pm MDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,433 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:13 am MDT (06:13 UTC)
Wind from the south at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 14,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DEN
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 14,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet
- At times between Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 25 knots, gusting to 37
- From Mon 1:00 am MDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for RAP, the departure
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 400 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
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 RAP 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC), at DEN 6:24 pm MDT (00:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm MDT (00:51 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DEN is before sunrise there (7:05 am MDT (13:05 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: Rapid City Regional, Denver International.