Plan a flight · Mon 1:55 am EDT (05:55 UTC)

Raleigh-Durham International to Spokane International RDU → GEG

1,850 nautical miles (2,129 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 305°, about 314° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 15 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 4-knot headwind), arriving about 2:52 pm PDT (21:52 UTC). Right now RDU is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 11 knots, gusting to 20; GEG is VFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 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: 1 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 TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 150 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 80 nm along the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 90 to 230 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 100 to 470 nm out.
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 650 to 870 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 990 to 1780 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 1300 to 1320 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Near the route, 1310 nm along the route.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 1340 to 1380 nm out.
AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1350 to 1430 nm out.
AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 410 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1490 to 1800 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 1580 to 1770 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 RDU.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B38M at 29,000 ft, 9 nm north, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 520 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
over RBS
Time
04:52 UTC
Height
at 29,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
CL30 at 4,200 ft, 20 nm southwest, 11:16 pm EDT (03:16 UTC): no icing, overcast above 4,200 ft, remarks: during the descent ils runway 12. 1700 nm along the route, 20 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MSO UA /OV MSO/TM 0316/FL042/TP CL30/SK OVC042/WX 2 1/2SM/IC NEG/RM DURD ILS RY 12
```
Report
a routine report filed through MSO
Where
over MSO
Time
03:16 UTC
Height
at 4,200 ft
Aircraft
CL30
Sky
overcast from 4,200 ft
Weather
2, 1/2SM
Icing
none
Remarks
during the descent ils runway 12

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 17 forecast points nearest it (RDU, ROA, CRW, CVG, IND, JOT, BRL, DBQ, MCW, FSD, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL, GTF, GPI, GEG). 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	250° at 6 kt	+4 kt	6 °C	116 kt	15 h 57 min	2:52 pm PDT (21:52 UTC)
6,500 ft	260° at 6 kt	+6 kt	11 °C	114 kt	16 h 14 min	3:09 pm PDT (22:09 UTC)
8,500 ft	260° at 7 kt	+7 kt	9 °C	113 kt	16 h 22 min	3:17 pm PDT (22:17 UTC)
10,500 ft	250° at 9 kt	+7 kt	4 °C	113 kt	16 h 22 min	3:17 pm PDT (22:17 UTC)
12,500 ft	240° at 12 kt	+9 kt	1 °C	111 kt	16 h 40 min	3:35 pm PDT (22:35 UTC)
14,500 ft	250° at 14 kt	+12 kt	-3 °C	108 kt	17 h 08 min	4:03 pm PDT (23:03 UTC)
16,500 ft	250° at 17 kt	+14 kt	-7 °C	106 kt	17 h 27 min	4:22 pm PDT (23:22 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	250° at 19 kt	+16 kt	-10 °C	104 kt	17 h 47 min	4:42 pm PDT (23:42 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	250° at 22 kt	+19 kt	-22 °C	101 kt	18 h 19 min	5:14 pm PDT (00:14 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	250° at 28 kt	+24 kt	-35 °C	96 kt	19 h 16 min	6:11 pm PDT (01:11 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	260° at 41 kt	+38 kt	-41 °C	82 kt	22 h 34 min	9:29 pm PDT (04:29 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 45 kt	+42 kt	-47 °C	78 kt	23 h 43 min	10:38 pm PDT (05:38 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
RDU	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	280/33	300/23 11°	300/28 8°	290/28 4°	260/41 -6°	240/52 -18°	230/66 -31°	230/76 -39°	240/52 -49°
ROA	used from 50 nm out; 45 nm from the line	310/29	330/31 13°	340/28 7°	330/25 3°	310/32 -8°	300/32 -22°	290/32 -31°	270/35 -38°	270/32 -47°
CRW	used from 150 nm out; 54 nm from the line	330/20	330/23 11°	340/25 8°	340/21 2°	340/33 -9°	340/41 -20°	330/42 -35°	320/44 -39°	320/43 -47°
CVG	used from 250 nm out; 64 nm from the line	320/18	350/32 16°	350/35 10°	350/30 3°	330/30 -7°	340/44 -20°	340/58 -35°	330/72 -41°	320/36 -49°
IND	used from 400 nm out; 5 nm from the line	290/16	310/20 16°	320/21 10°	330/13 3°	300/25 -7°	320/32 -19°	330/46 -34°	320/61 -43°	320/63 -50°
JOT	used from 500 nm out; 63 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°
BRL	used from 600 nm out; 50 nm from the line	230/24	240/29 15°	290/16 10°	280/15 4°	260/23 -7°	260/32 -19°	260/36 -33°	280/48 -41°	280/59 -52°
DBQ	used from 650 nm out; 51 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°
MCW	used from 750 nm out; 48 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°
FSD	used from 850 nm out; 72 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°
PIR	used from 1050 nm out; 33 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°
RAP	used from 1200 nm out; 69 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°
MLS	used from 1300 nm out; 55 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°
BIL	used from 1400 nm out; 53 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°
GTF	used from 1550 nm out; 46 nm from the line		070/11	080/15 -7°	110/19 -9°	190/25 -14°	200/34 -23°	200/54 -39°	220/66 -40°	220/77 -44°
GPI	used from 1650 nm out; 81 nm from the line		070/19 -5°	100/16 -7°	080/10 -8°	130/8 -19°	170/37 -28°	200/50 -40°	210/43 -40°	220/41 -42°
GEG	used from 1750 nm out; 75 nm from the line		080/16 -2°	050/17 -7°	080/9 -10°	190/33 -21°	180/31 -32°	L/V -35°	L/V -37°	270/8 -40°

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
RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC	departure	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 4,200 feet, a broken layer at 6,500 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 11 knots, gusting to 20	10+ mi	6,500 ft	435 ft	1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC)
GSO Greensboro, NC	50 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,500 feet	from the west-southwest (250°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	4,000 ft	925 ft	04:54 UTC
CVG Covington, KY	340 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	5 mi	none	896 ft	04:52 UTC
IND Indianapolis, IN	420 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	796 ft	04:54 UTC
CID Cedar Rapids, IA	700 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	869 ft	02:52 UTC
SHL Sheldon, IA	900 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots	9 mi	none	1,419 ft	05:35 UTC
FSD Sioux Falls, SD	950 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the northwest (310°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	1,430 ft	04:56 UTC
PIR Pierre, SD	1110 nm out, 10 nm south of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet	from the northeast (050°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	900 ft	1,744 ft	04:53 UTC
HLN Helena, MT	1620 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,600 feet, a few clouds at 2,600 feet, overcast at 4,100 feet Weather: light snow, mist	from the west (280°) at 8 knots	3 mi	4,100 ft	3,877 ft	04:53 UTC
MSO Missoula, MT	1700 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, scattered clouds at 1,600 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet	calm	10+ mi	5,500 ft	3,205 ft	05:18 UTC
GEG Spokane, WA	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet	from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	2,385 ft	9:53 pm PDT (04:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 3,877 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At GEG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:52 pm PDT (21:52 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for GEG

From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm PDT (20:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet

The forecast for RDU, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet and more above
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 4,500 feet
At times between Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
From Mon 5:30 pm EDT (21:30 UTC): wind from the northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 3 nm from the route, 340 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID

Daylight

Sunset at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC), at GEG 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:38 pm PDT (01:38 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

Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Raleigh-Durham International, Spokane International.