Chicago/Rockford International to St. Pete-Clearwater International RFD → PIE
913 nautical miles (1,051 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 158°, about 161° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (11,500 ft, a 29-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:03 am EDT (08:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RFD is VFR, wind calm; PIE is VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 3 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: 263 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 427 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 466 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 655 to 774 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 RFD.
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 9 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, EVV, BNA, HSV, ATL, CSG, TLH, PIE). 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 | 300° at 15 kt | −12 kt | 132 kt | 6 h 55 min | 4:50 am EDT (08:50 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 143 kt | 6 h 23 min | 4:18 am EDT (08:18 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | −27 kt | 13 °C | 147 kt | 6 h 13 min | 4:08 am EDT (08:08 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 29 kt | −28 kt | 10 °C | 148 kt | 6 h 10 min | 4:05 am EDT (08:05 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 30 kt | −29 kt | 7 °C | 149 kt | 6 h 08 min | 4:03 am EDT (08:03 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 29 kt | −27 kt | 2 °C | 147 kt | 6 h 13 min | 4:08 am EDT (08:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 28 kt | −25 kt | -2 °C | 145 kt | 6 h 18 min | 4:13 am EDT (08:13 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 26 kt | −22 kt | -7 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 26 min | 4:21 am EDT (08:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 26 kt | −22 kt | -8 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 26 min | 4:21 am EDT (08:21 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 28 kt | −23 kt | -19 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 23 min | 4:18 am EDT (08:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 34 kt | −26 kt | -34 °C | 146 kt | 6 h 15 min | 4:10 am EDT (08:10 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 33 kt | −23 kt | -41 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 23 min | 4:18 am EDT (08:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 27 kt | −18 kt | -49 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 37 min | 4:32 am EDT (08:32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 230/11 | 290/12 16° | 300/19 10° | 320/19 4° | 300/17 -9° | 330/31 -20° | 320/49 -37° | 320/53 -45° | 320/67 -49° |
| IND | used from 149 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 320/10 | 350/30 16° | 350/32 10° | 350/30 4° | 340/31 -10° | 340/42 -21° | 340/49 -37° | 320/46 -41° | 320/47 -47° |
| EVV | used from 199 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 310/13 | 340/26 16° | 330/29 10° | 330/32 4° | 330/30 -9° | 340/38 -20° | 330/60 -35° | 320/57 -41° | 330/39 -48° |
| BNA | used from 298 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 280/13 | 340/34 16° | 330/38 10° | 330/44 5° | 330/39 -8° | 330/38 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 330/53 -40° | 330/35 -47° |
| HSV | used from 447 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 290/15 | 330/34 16° | 330/38 11° | 330/40 5° | 320/36 -7° | 320/31 -18° | 320/44 -34° | 330/53 -41° | 330/34 -48° |
| ATL | used from 496 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 300/23 | 320/26 14° | 320/34 10° | 320/41 5° | 290/32 -6° | 290/31 -18° | 280/28 -33° | 260/32 -41° | 250/28 -50° |
| CSG | used from 596 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 300/20 | 330/41 15° | 320/42 11° | 320/41 7° | 300/33 -6° | 290/33 -18° | 270/32 -34° | 260/31 -41° | 260/24 -51° |
| TLH | used from 695 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 300/17 | 340/32 17° | 320/27 13° | 300/27 8° | 280/23 -7° | 250/37 -17° | 230/44 -33° | 220/53 -41° | 220/48 -51° |
| PIE | used from 844 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 310/7 | 270/12 17° | 270/14 13° | 260/14 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/24 -16° | 220/26 -31° | 200/31 -41° | 180/33 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC) |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 30 nm out, 17 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 712 ft | 00:52 UTC |
| CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL | 139 nm out, 15 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| EVV Evansville, IN | 258 nm out, 25 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 421 ft | 00:54 UTC |
| OWB Owensboro, KY | 278 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 407 ft | 00:56 UTC |
| MQY Smyrna, TN | 387 nm out, 23 nm southwest of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 543 ft | 00:56 UTC | |
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 466 nm out, 18 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, scattered clouds at 2,900 feet | from the west (260°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 682 ft | 01:47 UTC |
| CSG Columbus, GA | 615 nm out, 21 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 397 ft | 01:51 UTC |
| ABY Albany, GA | 685 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 196 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| FPY Perry, FL | 774 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 7 mi | none | 44 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| BKV Brooksville, FL | 883 nm out, 22 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 76 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| PIE St Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | destination | VFR | from the north (360°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 10 ft | 8:53 pm EDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 754 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PIE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:03 am EDT (08:03 UTC)
Wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for PIE
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for RFD, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 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 22 nm from the route, 367 nm along the route · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at PIE 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:28 pm EDT (23:28 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at PIE is before sunrise there (7:29 am EDT (11:29 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: Chicago/Rockford International, St. Pete-Clearwater International.