Chicago/Rockford International to Seattle-Tacoma International RFD → SEA
1,438 nautical miles (1,654 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 294°, about 297° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 11 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:39 am PDT (11:39 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: 451 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 W70W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm CDT (01:55 UTC). Near the route, 769 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112355 MKCW WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 70W VALID UNTIL 0155Z MT WY FROM 30SSW MLS-60WNW BFF-40SSE OCS-10S BPI-10S BIL-30SSW MLS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL320.
- 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 619 to 1118 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 649 to 1178 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 869 to 1238 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 14,000 ft. Over the route from 1088 to 1318 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 15 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, LSE, MCW, FSD, ABR, PIR, DIK, MLS, BIL, GTF, GPI, LWS, GEG, YKM, SEA). 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 | 110° at 5 kt | −6 kt | 5 °C | 126 kt | 11 h 25 min | 4:39 am PDT (11:39 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 130° at 3 kt | −4 kt | 8 °C | 124 kt | 11 h 36 min | 4:50 am PDT (11:50 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 190° at 4 kt | −1 kt | 5 °C | 121 kt | 11 h 53 min | 5:07 am PDT (12:07 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 8 kt | +2 kt | 1 °C | 118 kt | 12 h 11 min | 5:25 am PDT (12:25 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 13 kt | +5 kt | -2 °C | 115 kt | 12 h 30 min | 5:44 am PDT (12:44 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 16 kt | +8 kt | -6 °C | 112 kt | 12 h 50 min | 6:04 am PDT (13:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | +10 kt | -10 °C | 110 kt | 13 h 04 min | 6:18 am PDT (13:18 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 21 kt | +13 kt | -13 °C | 107 kt | 13 h 26 min | 6:40 am PDT (13:40 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 28 kt | +19 kt | -23 °C | 101 kt | 14 h 14 min | 7:28 am PDT (14:28 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 33 kt | +22 kt | -36 °C | 98 kt | 14 h 40 min | 7:54 am PDT (14:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 42 kt | +34 kt | -43 °C | 86 kt | 16 h 43 min | 9:57 am PDT (16:57 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 52 kt | +47 kt | -48 °C | 73 kt | 19 h 42 min | 12:56 pm PDT (19:56 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; 49 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° |
| LSE | used from 100 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 220/33 | 250/29 17° | 250/15 9° | 260/12 6° | 280/21 -9° | 280/33 -20° | 300/43 -36° | 310/56 -45° | 300/79 -53° |
| MCW | used from 150 nm out; 27 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° |
| FSD | used from 299 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 200/16 | 220/20 17° | 240/26 13° | 230/19 6° | 240/25 -9° | 240/28 -20° | 250/39 -33° | 250/44 -43° | 260/63 -52° |
| ABR | used from 399 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 030/24 | 220/5 16° | 230/18 12° | 230/32 5° | 240/38 -10° | 250/37 -20° | 240/40 -35° | 240/56 -44° | 250/72 -52° |
| PIR | used from 499 nm out; 51 nm from the line | L/V 17° | 230/13 12° | 220/22 6° | 250/31 -9° | 250/34 -21° | 240/50 -35° | 230/61 -43° | 240/62 -51° | |
| DIK | used from 599 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 110/15 6° | 200/17 5° | 230/31 1° | 240/47 -10° | 240/52 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 240/57 -45° | 250/67 -51° | |
| MLS | used from 699 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 120/22 5° | 170/18 4° | 200/33 1° | 230/49 -10° | 230/58 -21° | 220/54 -37° | 230/64 -44° | 250/74 -49° | |
| BIL | used from 799 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 080/24 | 130/14 -1° | 180/33 0° | 210/43 -10° | 220/58 -21° | 200/55 -36° | 220/75 -44° | 240/83 -48° | |
| GTF | used from 948 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 070/21 | 080/18 -6° | 120/5 -5° | 180/30 -14° | 200/53 -24° | 210/80 -38° | 220/83 -44° | 230/68 -46° | |
| GPI | used from 1048 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 060/19 -3° | 110/11 -8° | 130/6 -8° | 200/40 -19° | 190/58 -28° | 200/101 -39° | 220/73 -43° | 230/41 -43° | |
| LWS | used from 1148 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 010/5 | 050/14 -2° | 040/12 -6° | 160/7 -10° | 190/30 -22° | 200/54 -27° | 200/48 -35° | 210/40 -37° | 230/32 -41° |
| GEG | used from 1198 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 050/18 -2° | 060/19 -8° | L/V -11° | 160/11 -24° | 190/17 -31° | 200/19 -35° | 220/14 -37° | 250/11 -41° | |
| YKM | used from 1298 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 030/16 | 020/18 0° | 030/30 -8° | 030/23 -13° | 020/40 -23° | 010/73 -29° | 010/54 -36° | 360/29 -37° | 330/16 -40° |
| SEA | used from 1398 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 360/9 | 350/10 1° | 010/10 -5° | 030/20 -11° | 020/60 -17° | 010/86 -26° | 360/90 -40° | 010/68 -42° | 360/31 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | departure | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 70 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| MWM Windom, MN | 280 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,410 ft | ||||
| BKX Brookings, SD | 359 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,647 ft | ||||
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 529 nm out, 19 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,716 ft | ||||
| HEI Hettinger, ND | 629 nm out, 21 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,705 ft | ||||
| MLS Miles City, MT | 759 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,634 ft | ||||
| RPX Roundup, MT | 869 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 3,490 ft | ||||
| MSO Missoula, MT | 1098 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,205 ft | ||||
| GEG Spokane, WA | 1248 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,385 ft | ||||
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 1318 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,188 ft | ||||
| SEA Seattle, WA | destination | no report just now | 432 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,490 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SEA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:39 am PDT (11:39 UTC)
SEA 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 6:21 pm CDT (23:21 UTC), at SEA 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm PDT (01:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SEA is before sunrise there (7:23 am PDT (14:23 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, Seattle-Tacoma International.