Chicago/Rockford International to Reno/Tahoe International RFD → RNO
1,395 nautical miles (1,605 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 274°, about 277° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 6:31 am PDT (13:31 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: 4 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 3W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 9:55 pm CDT (02:55 UTC). Over the route from 737 to 747 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120055 MKCW WST 120055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 3W VALID UNTIL 0255Z MT WY FROM 10WSW MLS-70E DDY-20N LAR-50E BPI-30NE BIL-10WSW MLS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- SIGMET 5W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 33,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 9:55 pm CDT (02:55 UTC). Over the route from 1166 to 1265 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120055 MKCW WST 120055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 5W VALID UNTIL 0255Z NV FROM 10NNE BAM-40WSW BVL-60SW ELY-10SE OAL-30WNW OAL-10NNE BAM AREA TS MOV FROM 23020KT. TOPS TO FL330.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 578 to 1245 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 707 to 1066 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 757 to 1206 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 767 to 1036 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 837 to 897 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 907 to 1325 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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, MCW, DSM, OMA, ONL, BFF, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, RNO). 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 | 200° at 14 kt | +5 kt | 17 °C | 115 kt | 12 h 08 min | 6:31 am PDT (13:31 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 15 kt | +9 kt | 16 °C | 111 kt | 12 h 34 min | 6:57 am PDT (13:57 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 23 kt | +15 kt | 10 °C | 105 kt | 13 h 17 min | 7:40 am PDT (14:40 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | +19 kt | 6 °C | 101 kt | 13 h 49 min | 8:12 am PDT (15:12 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | +23 kt | 2 °C | 97 kt | 14 h 23 min | 8:46 am PDT (15:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +24 kt | -3 °C | 96 kt | 14 h 32 min | 8:55 am PDT (15:55 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 31 kt | +25 kt | -7 °C | 95 kt | 14 h 41 min | 9:04 am PDT (16:04 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 32 kt | +26 kt | -10 °C | 94 kt | 14 h 50 min | 9:13 am PDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 38 kt | +32 kt | -21 °C | 88 kt | 15 h 51 min | 10:14 am PDT (17:14 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 45 kt | +41 kt | -32 °C | 79 kt | 17 h 39 min | 12:02 pm PDT (19:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 52 kt | +51 kt | -39 °C | 69 kt | 20 h 13 min | 2:36 pm PDT (21:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 59 kt | +60 kt | -47 °C | 60 kt | 23 h 15 min | 5:38 pm PDT (00:38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBQ | used from 0 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 220/23 | 240/22 16° | 240/24 10° | 260/18 5° | 270/16 -8° | 290/27 -19° | 310/42 -35° | 320/55 -44° | 300/71 -52° |
| MCW | used from 149 nm out; 52 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° |
| DSM | used from 199 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 200/32 | 240/27 17° | 260/19 10° | 260/16 5° | 260/19 -7° | 240/22 -19° | 270/20 -32° | 270/38 -42° | 290/58 -53° |
| OMA | used from 249 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 190/34 | 230/34 19° | 250/25 12° | 250/18 6° | 250/22 -7° | 250/28 -19° | 260/34 -32° | 260/39 -41° | 280/56 -51° |
| ONL | used from 349 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 200/20 17° | 230/26 14° | 240/21 7° | 250/27 -9° | 260/32 -19° | 240/44 -34° | 240/56 -41° | 250/62 -51° | |
| BFF | used from 548 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 120/24 | 180/31 13° | 210/26 7° | 230/25 -7° | 240/41 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 250/56 -41° | 260/57 -45° | |
| RKS | used from 747 nm out; 119 nm from the line | 190/43 | 210/65 3° | 210/57 -9° | 210/56 -21° | 210/47 -33° | 230/63 -37° | 240/77 -46° | ||
| SLC | used from 946 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 280/8 | 210/39 5° | 210/52 -1° | 200/50 -11° | 200/56 -23° | 220/61 -28° | 230/73 -37° | 230/73 -45° | |
| ELY | used from 1096 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 210/20 4° | 240/21 -1° | 230/37 -13° | 200/58 -25° | 220/73 -27° | 220/73 -36° | 220/69 -44° | ||
| BAM | used from 1196 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 270/8 4° | 230/27 -4° | 220/49 -18° | 210/52 -26° | 220/77 -29° | 220/71 -33° | 220/63 -43° | ||
| RNO | used from 1295 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 320/7 | 260/13 1° | 230/21 -7° | 210/38 -17° | 220/43 -26° | 230/54 -29° | 230/59 -32° | 230/54 -41° |
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 | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 70 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 149 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 873 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 319 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| TIF Thedford, NE | 508 nm out, 13 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,925 ft | ||||
| GUR Guernsey, WY | 697 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,401 ft | ||||
| RWL Rawlins, WY | 807 nm out, 10 nm north of the line | no report just now | 6,816 ft | ||||
| FBR Fort Bridger, WY | 956 nm out, 10 nm north of the line | no report just now | 7,038 ft | ||||
| OGD Ogden, UT | 1026 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,472 ft | ||||
| ENV Wendover, UT | 1126 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 4,236 ft | ||||
| SPZ Silver Springs, NV | 1375 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 4,265 ft | ||||
| RNO Reno, NV | destination | no report just now | 4,414 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,038 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RNO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:31 am PDT (13:31 UTC)
RNO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at RNO 6:24 pm PDT (01:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm PDT (01:51 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RNO is before sunrise there (7:05 am PDT (14:05 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, Reno/Tahoe International.