Raleigh-Durham International to Tulsa International RDU → TUL
829 nautical miles (954 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 276°, about 285° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC). Right now RDU is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots; TUL is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 10 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: 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
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 80 to 210 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 100 to 190 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, fog). Over the route from 130 to 410 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 130 to 300 nm out.
- 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 last 100 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 08:00–15:00 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 7 forecast points nearest it (RDU, TRI, TYS, BNA, CGI, SGF, TUL). 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 | 290° at 17 kt | +17 kt | 11 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 03 min | 12:04 pm CDT (17:04 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 300° at 15 kt | +14 kt | 14 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 49 min | 11:50 am CDT (16:50 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | +13 kt | 11 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 45 min | 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | +13 kt | 8 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 45 min | 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | +14 kt | 5 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 49 min | 11:50 am CDT (16:50 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +17 kt | 1 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 03 min | 12:04 pm CDT (17:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 22 kt | +20 kt | -3 °C | 100 kt | 8 h 17 min | 12:18 pm CDT (17:18 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 24 kt | +22 kt | -7 °C | 98 kt | 8 h 28 min | 12:29 pm CDT (17:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -18 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 44 min | 12:45 pm CDT (17:45 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 42 kt | +37 kt | -32 °C | 83 kt | 9 h 59 min | 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 49 kt | +43 kt | -40 °C | 77 kt | 10 h 46 min | 2:47 pm CDT (19:47 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 45 kt | +37 kt | -50 °C | 83 kt | 9 h 59 min | 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 330/30 | 340/24 12° | 330/26 7° | 320/30 3° | 330/39 -8° | 310/30 -20° | 300/33 -33° | 310/34 -39° | 310/41 -47° |
| TRI | used from 100 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 340/25 11° | 350/37 9° | 350/34 6° | 340/39 -7° | 340/43 -19° | 340/55 -32° | 330/58 -42° | 320/37 -50° | |
| TYS | used from 200 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
| BNA | used from 300 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| CGI | used from 450 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| SGF | used from 600 nm out; 99 nm from the line | 230/37 | 260/20 15° | 250/16 13° | 250/15 8° | 260/28 -7° | 250/31 -17° | 280/59 -31° | 280/59 -39° | 290/55 -50° |
| TUL | used from 749 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/42 | 250/23 17° | 220/16 14° | 240/10 8° | 240/20 -6° | 260/28 -17° | 270/61 -29° | 280/52 -38° | 290/46 -50° |
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, a few clouds at 10,000 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 435 ft | 4:51 am EDT (08:51 UTC) |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 60 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 feet | from the west (270°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 925 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| HKY Hickory, NC | 130 nm out, 21 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,189 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 180 nm out, 20 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: mist | from the west (270°) at 6 knots | 6 mi | 1,200 ft | 1,518 ft | 09:00 UTC |
| JAU Jacksboro, TN | 260 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,100 feet | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,179 ft | 08:30 UTC |
| JWN Nashville, TN | 390 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 501 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| PHT Paris, TN | 470 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 580 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| UCY Union City, TN | 500 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 500 feet Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | 500 ft | 345 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| CVK Ash Flat, AR | 620 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | no report just now | 717 ft | ||||
| ROG Rogers, AR | 739 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,358 ft | 08:58 UTC |
| XNA Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, AR | 749 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| TUL Tulsa, OK | destination | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 677 ft | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,518 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TUL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC)
Wind from the south at 17 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for TUL
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 17 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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
- 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 4 nm from the route, 380 nm along the route · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC), at TUL 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 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, Tulsa International.