Plan a flight · Mon 1:34 am EDT (05:34 UTC)

Richmond International to Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International RIC → ROC

337 nautical miles (388 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 357°, about 007° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 19-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:59 am EDT (07:59 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RIC is marginal VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 5 knots; ROC is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) 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: 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

SIGMET E19E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 43,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 2:55 am EDT (06:55 UTC). Over the route from 10 to 159 nm out.

as issued

WSUS31 KKCI 120455
MKCE WST 120455
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 19E
VALID UNTIL 0655Z
CT NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND DE NJ NY MD CT VA CSTL WTRS
FROM 20NNW HTO-70SSE HTO-90SE SIE-20WNW LYH-40ESE AIR-20NNW HTO
AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL430.

AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 318 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 318 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 139 to 308 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 RIC.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B38M at 20,000 ft, 22 nm west, 11:11 pm EDT (03:11 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence from 20,000 ft to 25,000 ft. 99 nm along the route, 22 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IAD UA /OV AML300020/TM 0311/FL200/TP B38M/TB MOD CAT 200-250
```
Report
a routine report filed through IAD
Where
20 nm northwest (300°) of AML
Time
03:11 UTC
Height
at 20,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
moderate clear-air turbulence from 20,000 ft to 25,000 ft
B712 descending, 35 nm east, 11:10 pm EDT (03:10 UTC): remarks: light rain light chop bases 50,000 ft ft. 99 nm along the route, 35 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BWI UA /OV RWY 15R/TM 0310/FLDURD/TP B712/RM LIGHT RAIN. LIGHT CHOP. BASES 500 FT
```
Report
a routine report filed through BWI
Where
runway 15R
Time
03:10 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B712
Remarks
light rain light chop bases 50,000 ft ft
E145 at 600 ft, 33 nm east, 11:20 pm EDT (03:20 UTC): overcast above 600 ft. 159 nm along the route, 33 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MDT UA /OV MDT/TM 0320/FL006/TP E145/SK OVC 006
```
Report
a routine report filed through MDT
Where
over MDT
Time
03:20 UTC
Height
at 600 ft
Aircraft
E145
Sky
overcast from 600 ft

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 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 3 forecast points nearest it (RIC, PSB, BUF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

Height	Average wind	Head- or tailwind	Temperature	Ground speed	Time en route	Arrival
5,500 ft	330° at 12 kt	+10 kt	13 °C	110 kt	3 h 04 min	4:38 am EDT (08:38 UTC)
7,500 ft	320° at 12 kt	+10 kt	10 °C	110 kt	3 h 04 min	4:38 am EDT (08:38 UTC)
9,500 ft	310° at 12 kt	+8 kt	6 °C	112 kt	3 h 01 min	4:35 am EDT (08:35 UTC)
11,500 ft	280° at 12 kt	+3 kt	4 °C	117 kt	2 h 53 min	4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC)
13,500 ft	270° at 13 kt	+1 kt	0 °C	119 kt	2 h 50 min	4:24 am EDT (08:24 UTC)
15,500 ft	270° at 15 kt	0	-4 °C	120 kt	2 h 48 min	4:22 am EDT (08:22 UTC)
17,500 ft	260° at 16 kt	−2 kt	-9 °C	122 kt	2 h 46 min	4:20 am EDT (08:20 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	260° at 17 kt	−2 kt	-10 °C	122 kt	2 h 46 min	4:20 am EDT (08:20 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 30 kt	−17 kt	-22 °C	137 kt	2 h 28 min	4:02 am EDT (08:02 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	250° at 34 kt	−13 kt	-34 °C	133 kt	2 h 32 min	4:06 am EDT (08:06 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	240° at 45 kt	−19 kt	-40 °C	139 kt	2 h 25 min	3:59 am EDT (07:59 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	240° at 48 kt	−18 kt	-49 °C	138 kt	2 h 27 min	4:01 am EDT (08:01 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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
RIC	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	270/23	280/19 11°	270/18 8°	240/22 4°	230/39 -7°	220/55 -18°	220/75 -30°	230/83 -39°	230/64 -50°
PSB	used from 99 nm out; 84 nm from the line		360/13 13°	330/14 7°	300/11 3°	290/12 -11°	240/23 -23°	270/25 -36°	250/34 -40°	250/45 -48°
BUF	used from 298 nm out; 48 nm from the line	320/10	010/16 10°	360/10 6°	340/13 2°	330/22 -11°	300/25 -23°	320/31 -38°	300/29 -44°	280/36 -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
RIC Richmond, VA	departure	marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet	from the west (270°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	2,500 ft	167 ft	1:09 am EDT (05:09 UTC)
XSA Tappahannock, VA	20 nm out, 21 nm east of the line	reported, no category	calm		900 ft	135 ft	05:35 UTC
HEF Washington, DC	69 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet	from the northwest (310°) at 8 knots	3 mi	700 ft	192 ft	04:56 UTC
IAD Washington, DC	89 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the north-northwest (340°) at 12 knots	4 mi	600 ft	312 ft	04:52 UTC
HGR Hagerstown, MD	129 nm out, 13 nm west of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: mist	from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots	6 mi	600 ft	703 ft	04:53 UTC
UNV State College, PA	198 nm out, 15 nm west of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist	from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots	2.5 mi	300 ft	1,231 ft	05:15 UTC
LHV Lock Haven, PA	218 nm out, 5 nm east of the line	no report just now				555 ft
ELZ Wellsville, NY	278 nm out, 17 nm west of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet	from the north-northwest (330°) at 4 knots	9 mi	300 ft	2,124 ft	05:05 UTC
HTF Hornell, NY	298 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line	no report just now				1,219 ft
ROC Rochester, NY	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet	from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	6,500 ft	558 ft	12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 2,124 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At ROC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:59 am EDT (07:59 UTC)

Wind calm, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 1,200 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for ROC

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 1,200 feet
From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet

The forecast for RIC, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 900 feet
From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 1,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 4 nm from the route, 79 nm along the route · security · ZDC
6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, 89 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC

Daylight

Sunset at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at ROC 6:33 pm EDT (22:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ROC is before sunrise there (7:20 am EDT (11:20 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

Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Richmond International, Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International.