Reno/Tahoe International to Great Falls International RNO → GTF
602 nautical miles (693 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 035°, about 022° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 64-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:48 am MDT (09:48 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RNO is VFR, wind from the north (350°) at 9 knots; GTF is marginal VFR, wind from the north (350°) at 10 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 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 39 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 424 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 296 to 424 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 286 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 267 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 168 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 RNO.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (RNO, BAM, BOI, DLN, GTF). 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 | 350° at 5 kt | +3 kt | 2 °C | 117 kt | 5 h 09 min | 5:41 am MDT (11:41 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 350° at 3 kt | +2 kt | -2 °C | 118 kt | 5 h 06 min | 5:38 am MDT (11:38 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 280° at 2 kt | −1 kt | -4 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 59 min | 5:31 am MDT (11:31 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 13 kt | −12 kt | -7 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 34 min | 5:06 am MDT (11:06 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 22 kt | −22 kt | -10 °C | 142 kt | 4 h 14 min | 4:46 am MDT (10:46 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 210° at 31 kt | −31 kt | -13 °C | 151 kt | 3 h 59 min | 4:31 am MDT (10:31 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 210° at 40 kt | −39 kt | -17 °C | 159 kt | 3 h 47 min | 4:19 am MDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 210° at 42 kt | −41 kt | -18 °C | 161 kt | 3 h 44 min | 4:16 am MDT (10:16 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 210° at 57 kt | −56 kt | -27 °C | 176 kt | 3 h 25 min | 3:57 am MDT (09:57 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 210° at 58 kt | −58 kt | -32 °C | 178 kt | 3 h 23 min | 3:55 am MDT (09:55 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 64 kt | −64 kt | -34 °C | 184 kt | 3 h 16 min | 3:48 am MDT (09:48 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 58 kt | −58 kt | -41 °C | 178 kt | 3 h 23 min | 3:55 am MDT (09:55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RNO | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 010/9 | 320/10 -2° | 210/23 -9° | 210/34 -19° | 220/36 -25° | 230/31 -29° | 230/41 -33° | 230/38 -42° | |
| BAM | used from 99 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 310/7 0° | 270/19 -7° | 200/38 -17° | 190/49 -28° | 220/69 -29° | 220/63 -33° | 230/48 -41° | ||
| BOI | used from 197 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 300/7 2° | 280/5 -4° | 210/16 -9° | 210/60 -20° | 210/75 -29° | 210/63 -32° | 220/64 -32° | 220/54 -39° | |
| DLN | used from 395 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 090/6 -6° | 240/22 -4° | 210/34 -16° | 210/62 -25° | 210/66 -34° | 210/82 -36° | 220/77 -42° | ||
| GTF | used from 543 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RNO Reno, NV | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 feet | from the north (350°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,414 ft | 10:55 pm PDT (05:55 UTC) |
| BOI Boise, ID | 286 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,000 feet | from the west (270°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 2,871 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| LLJ Challis, ID | 385 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 feet, overcast at 3,200 feet Weather: light rain | from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 5,075 ft | 06:16 UTC |
| SMN Salmon, ID | 424 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 900 feet, scattered clouds at 1,400 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the north (360°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 4,044 ft | 06:01 UTC |
| BTM Butte, MT | 503 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet Weather: light snow, mist | calm | 4 mi | 900 ft | 5,550 ft | 06:26 UTC |
| HLN Helena, MT | 543 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet | from the west (270°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 3,877 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GTF Great Falls, MT | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the north (350°) at 10 knots | 3 mi | 1,000 ft | 3,680 ft | 12:01 am MDT (06:01 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,550 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At GTF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:48 am MDT (09:48 UTC)
Wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet IFR
At times between Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC) and 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow, overcast at 300 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for GTF
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, visibility 3 miles, light snow, overcast at 600 feet
- At times between Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC) and 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- At times between Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC) and 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet
The forecast for RNO, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am PDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm PDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 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 RNO 6:24 pm PDT (01:24 UTC), at GTF 6:41 pm MDT (00:41 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:12 pm MDT (01:12 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at GTF is before sunrise there (7:39 am MDT (13:39 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: Reno/Tahoe International, Great Falls International.