Raleigh-Durham International to Salt Lake City International RDU → SLC
1,581 nautical miles (1,819 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 291°, about 300° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 15 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 3:38 pm MDT (21:38 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: 758 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 149 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 89 to 169 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 99 to 259 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 119 to 447 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 676 to 1163 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 1143 to 1551 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 388 nm of the route.
- 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 1283 to 1452 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 239 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 1392 to 1452 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 169 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 RDU.
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 14 forecast points nearest it (RDU, ROA, TRI, LOU, EVV, STL, COU, MKC, SLN, GRI, GLD, DEN, RKS, SLC). 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 22 kt | +20 kt | 15 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 49 min | 3:57 pm MDT (21:57 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 15 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 49 min | 3:57 pm MDT (21:57 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | +18 kt | 12 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 30 min | 3:38 pm MDT (21:38 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +18 kt | 8 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 30 min | 3:38 pm MDT (21:38 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | +19 kt | 4 °C | 101 kt | 15 h 39 min | 3:47 pm MDT (21:47 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | +20 kt | 0 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 49 min | 3:57 pm MDT (21:57 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +21 kt | -4 °C | 99 kt | 15 h 58 min | 4:06 pm MDT (22:06 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 22 kt | +22 kt | -8 °C | 98 kt | 16 h 08 min | 4:16 pm MDT (22:16 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -20 °C | 95 kt | 16 h 39 min | 4:47 pm MDT (22:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 38 kt | +37 kt | -31 °C | 83 kt | 19 h 03 min | 7:11 pm MDT (01:11 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 45 kt | +46 kt | -38 °C | 74 kt | 21 h 22 min | 9:30 pm MDT (03:30 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 44 kt | +45 kt | -48 °C | 75 kt | 21 h 05 min | 9:13 pm MDT (03:13 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; 62 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° |
| TRI | used from 99 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| LOU | used from 249 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| EVV | used from 398 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| STL | used from 497 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| COU | used from 646 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| MKC | used from 746 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| SLN | used from 845 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GRI | used from 945 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| GLD | used from 1044 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| DEN | used from 1193 nm out; 50 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° | ||
| RKS | used from 1342 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| SLC | used from 1491 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 200/5 | 230/8 2° | 220/20 -2° | 210/40 -12° | 190/53 -25° | 210/62 -30° | 220/69 -34° | 220/64 -43° |
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 | no report just now | 435 ft | ||||
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 60 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 925 ft | ||||
| LNP Wise, VA | 189 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,684 ft | ||||
| EVV Evansville, IN | 437 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 421 ft | ||||
| STL St Louis, MO | 577 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 617 ft | ||||
| MCI Kansas City, MO | 785 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,027 ft | ||||
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 795 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 826 ft | ||||
| MCK Mc Cook, NE | 1064 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 2,582 ft | ||||
| FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO | 1263 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,020 ft | ||||
| SBS Steamboat Springs, CO | 1352 nm out, 11 nm south of the line | no report just now | 6,882 ft | ||||
| HCR Heber, UT | 1551 nm out, 19 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,636 ft | ||||
| SLC Salt Lake City, UT | destination | no report just now | 4,230 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,882 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SLC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:38 pm MDT (21:38 UTC)
SLC has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 2 nm from the route, 666 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC), at SLC 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm MDT (01:18 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: Raleigh-Durham International, Salt Lake City International.