Rhinelander/Oneida County to Williston Basin International RHI → XWA
605 nautical miles (697 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 290°, about 293° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 41 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 9-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:44 am CDT (14:44 UTC). Right now RHI is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots; XWA is IFR, wind from the east-northeast (060°) at 12 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: 1 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 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 first 60 nm of the route.
- 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 last 437 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 466 to 566 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 30 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 RHI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 29 nm south, 3:30 am CDT (08:30 UTC): light chop turbulence above 35,000 ft. 318 nm along the route, 29 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV FAR/TM 0830/FL350/TP B39M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 350
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- over FAR
- Time
- 08:30 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop at 35,000 ft
- P28A at 4,000 ft, 21 nm south, 4:27 am CDT (09:27 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,800 ft, 10 °C. 328 nm along the route, 21 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV KFAR270015/TM 0927/FL040/TP P28A/SK OVC013-TOP038/TA 10/TB NEG/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- 15 nm west (270°) of KFAR
- Time
- 09:27 UTC
- Height
- at 4,000 ft
- Aircraft
- P28A
- Sky
- overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,800 ft
- Temperature
- 10 °C
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
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 5 forecast points nearest it (DLH, AXN, GFK, MOT, DIK). 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 | 100° at 9 kt | −9 kt | 4 °C | 129 kt | 4 h 41 min | 9:44 am CDT (14:44 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 6 kt | +2 kt | 11 °C | 118 kt | 5 h 08 min | 10:11 am CDT (15:11 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +11 kt | 9 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 33 min | 10:36 am CDT (15:36 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | +20 kt | 6 °C | 100 kt | 6 h 03 min | 11:06 am CDT (16:06 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 37 kt | +27 kt | 2 °C | 93 kt | 6 h 30 min | 11:33 am CDT (16:33 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 37 kt | +30 kt | -3 °C | 90 kt | 6 h 43 min | 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 38 kt | +33 kt | -7 °C | 87 kt | 6 h 57 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 39 kt | +36 kt | -11 °C | 84 kt | 7 h 12 min | 12:15 pm CDT (17:15 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 35 kt | +32 kt | -22 °C | 88 kt | 6 h 52 min | 11:55 am CDT (16:55 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 32 kt | +30 kt | -38 °C | 90 kt | 6 h 43 min | 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 49 kt | +45 kt | -43 °C | 75 kt | 8 h 04 min | 1:07 pm CDT (18:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 66 kt | +63 kt | -49 °C | 57 kt | 10 h 37 min | 3:40 pm CDT (20:40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLH | used from 0 nm out; 111 nm from the line | 090/31 | 250/7 14° | 250/26 11° | 250/36 4° | 280/36 -11° | 290/35 -22° | 300/39 -38° | 280/41 -44° | 280/66 -49° |
| AXN | used from 198 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 110/6 | 260/10 16° | 240/17 12° | 250/20 5° | 260/29 -10° | 260/35 -22° | 260/29 -38° | 270/48 -41° | 270/61 -48° |
| GFK | used from 298 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 080/18 | L/V 11° | 260/22 7° | 250/48 3° | 260/51 -11° | 250/44 -22° | 260/34 -38° | 260/53 -44° | 270/66 -49° |
| MOT | used from 447 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 120/14 4° | 190/25 5° | 220/41 1° | 240/43 -11° | 230/39 -22° | 220/44 -38° | 240/62 -42° | 250/73 -48° | |
| DIK | used from 595 nm out; 93 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHI Rhinelander, WI | departure | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,623 ft | 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC) |
| PKF Park Falls, WI | 40 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,501 ft | ||||
| HYR Hayward, WI | 89 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | from the northeast (050°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,215 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| MZH Moose Lake, MN | 149 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,300 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 1,076 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| PWC Pine River, MN | 218 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the north (010°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 1,295 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| PKD Park Rapids, MN | 248 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 1,444 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| FAR Fargo, ND | 318 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots | 2.5 mi | 400 ft | 901 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| MOT Minot, ND | 506 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet Weather: rain | from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 knots | 8 mi | 5,000 ft | 1,715 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| XWA Williston, ND | destination | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: light rain | from the east-northeast (060°) at 12 knots | 9 mi | 700 ft | 2,356 ft | 4:51 am CDT (09:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,356 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At XWA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:44 am CDT (14:44 UTC)
Wind from the northeast at 13 knots, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 feet low IFR
30% chance between Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC) and 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, light rain snow, mist IFR
The whole forecast for XWA
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 11 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 13 knots, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC) and 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, light rain snow, mist
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north at 11 knots, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
The forecast for RHI, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, overcast at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC) and 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): light rain showers, scattered clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the east at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 400 feet
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 RHI 6:17 pm CDT (23:17 UTC), at XWA 7:10 pm CDT (00:10 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:41 pm CDT (00:41 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: Rhinelander/Oneida County, Williston Basin International.