Rapid City Regional to Laguardia Airport RAP → LGA
1,302 nautical miles (1,498 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 088°, about 080° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 32 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 53-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:22 am EDT (08:22 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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 E16E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 25 knots, until 7:55 pm MDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 1262 to 1282 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 112355 MKCE WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 16E VALID UNTIL 0155Z NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND NJ NY CSTL WTRS FROM SAX-30SE JFK-10N DCA-60ENE EKN-SAX AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 22025KT. TOPS TO FL320.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- 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 50 to 109 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 route from 835 to 894 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the route from 994 to 1252 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1053 to 1222 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 229 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 209 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 1103 to 1282 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 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 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 12 forecast points nearest it (RAP, PIR, FSD, MCW, LSE, GRB, MKG, CLE, BUF, PSB, AVP, JFK). 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 | 200° at 13 kt | −2 kt | 122 kt | 10 h 40 min | 7:30 am EDT (11:30 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 11 kt | −7 kt | 15 °C | 127 kt | 10 h 15 min | 7:05 am EDT (11:05 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 12 kt | −10 kt | 12 °C | 130 kt | 10 h 01 min | 6:51 am EDT (10:51 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 12 kt | −12 kt | 9 °C | 132 kt | 9 h 52 min | 6:42 am EDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 12 kt | −12 kt | 5 °C | 132 kt | 9 h 52 min | 6:42 am EDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | −14 kt | 1 °C | 134 kt | 9 h 43 min | 6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | −16 kt | -4 °C | 136 kt | 9 h 34 min | 6:24 am EDT (10:24 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 20 kt | −19 kt | -8 °C | 139 kt | 9 h 22 min | 6:12 am EDT (10:12 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 20 kt | −20 kt | -9 °C | 140 kt | 9 h 18 min | 6:08 am EDT (10:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 24 kt | −23 kt | -21 °C | 143 kt | 9 h 06 min | 5:56 am EDT (09:56 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 36 kt | −34 kt | -35 °C | 154 kt | 8 h 27 min | 5:17 am EDT (09:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 43 kt | −40 kt | -43 °C | 160 kt | 8 h 08 min | 4:58 am EDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 56 kt | −53 kt | -51 °C | 173 kt | 7 h 32 min | 4:22 am EDT (08:22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 120/15 12° | 180/22 11° | 220/26 5° | 230/35 -9° | 240/40 -22° | 240/50 -37° | 240/51 -41° | 240/47 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 50 nm out; 49 nm from the line | L/V 17° | 230/13 12° | 220/22 6° | 250/31 -9° | 250/34 -21° | 240/50 -35° | 230/61 -43° | 240/62 -51° | |
| FSD | used from 199 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 200/16 | 220/20 17° | 240/26 13° | 230/19 6° | 240/25 -9° | 240/28 -20° | 250/39 -33° | 250/44 -43° | 260/63 -52° |
| MCW | used from 348 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 200/35 | 240/33 18° | 250/20 10° | 260/10 6° | 270/18 -8° | 260/28 -19° | 280/30 -34° | 290/49 -43° | 280/70 -54° |
| LSE | used from 447 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 220/33 | 250/29 17° | 250/15 9° | 260/12 6° | 280/21 -9° | 280/33 -20° | 300/43 -36° | 310/56 -45° | 300/79 -53° |
| GRB | used from 596 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 240/24 | 260/18 16° | 270/20 11° | 290/14 4° | 280/24 -9° | 300/34 -21° | 310/51 -38° | 310/54 -48° | 300/71 -51° |
| MKG | used from 646 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 250/5 | 320/10 15° | 310/19 9° | 320/21 3° | 310/23 -10° | 330/37 -22° | 330/51 -38° | 320/44 -47° | 300/60 -49° |
| CLE | used from 845 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 340/5 | 320/13 14° | 300/12 8° | 310/10 2° | 310/14 -10° | 340/14 -23° | 320/27 -35° | 260/28 -40° | 250/36 -48° |
| BUF | used from 994 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 170/19 | L/V 10° | 040/9 6° | 220/8 2° | 230/15 -11° | 220/33 -22° | 220/47 -35° | 230/55 -41° | 230/56 -50° |
| PSB | used from 1093 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 260/13 13° | 220/12 8° | 220/11 4° | 230/27 -11° | 210/31 -21° | 220/73 -32° | 220/75 -40° | 230/66 -50° | |
| AVP | used from 1143 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 110/36 | 190/34 13° | 230/11 8° | 230/16 4° | 230/26 -8° | 220/40 -19° | 230/73 -33° | 230/98 -41° | 230/87 -51° |
| JFK | used from 1242 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 140/43 | 170/35 13° | 230/18 9° | 250/25 5° | 240/40 -7° | 230/50 -17° | 230/75 -31° | 230/78 -41° | 230/88 -53° |
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 | no report just now | 3,203 ft | ||||
| PHP Philip, SD | 60 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 2,209 ft | ||||
| MDS Madison, SD | 258 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,718 ft | ||||
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 278 nm out, 25 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,430 ft | ||||
| RST Rochester, MN | 457 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,317 ft | ||||
| UES Waukesha, WI | 646 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 911 ft | ||||
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 735 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 628 ft | ||||
| PTK Pontiac, MI | 854 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 980 ft | ||||
| ERI Erie, PA | 1003 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 732 ft | ||||
| IPT Williamsport, PA | 1162 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 528 ft | ||||
| CDW Caldwell, NJ | 1282 nm out, 0 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 172 ft | ||||
| LGA New York, NY | destination | no report just now | 20 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,203 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LGA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:22 am EDT (08:22 UTC)
LGA has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 5/2811 NEW YORK, NY, Monday, October 20, 2025 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 20 October · ZNY
Daylight
Sunset at RAP 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC), at LGA 6:20 pm EDT (22:20 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm EDT (22:47 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LGA is before sunrise there (7:03 am EDT (11:03 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: Rapid City Regional, Laguardia Airport.