Plan a flight · Mon 1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC)

Rochester International to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport RST → DCA

758 nautical miles (873 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 108°, about 109° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 49-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RST is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 12 knots; DCA is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 8 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: 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 E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 2:55 am CDT (07:55 UTC). Over the last 70 nm of the route.

as issued

WSUS31 KKCI 120555
MKCE WST 120555
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E
VALID UNTIL 0755Z
NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS
FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO
AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.

AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 140 nm of the route.
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 last 479 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 579 to 708 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 100 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 RST.

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

LJ45 at 10,000 ft, 40 nm southwest, 11:31 pm CDT (04:31 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14. 349 nm along the route, 40 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FWA UA /OV OLK/TM 0431/FL100/TP LJ45/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM GROUND FOG AT FWA. FV10SM ON FINAL RY 14
```
Report
a routine report filed through FWA
Where
over OLK
Time
04:31 UTC
Height
at 10,000 ft
Aircraft
LJ45
Sky
clear
Turbulence
smooth
Remarks
ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14
B738 at 1,700 ft, 9 nm north, 1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 409 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
06:20 UTC
Height
at 1,700 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
B738 at 1,800 ft, 9 nm north, 12:18 am CDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. 409 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
05:18 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B738 at 1,300 ft, 9 nm north, 11:45 pm CDT (04:45 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 409 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0445/FL013/TP B738/SK OVC013-TOP030/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
04:45 UTC
Height
at 1,300 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent

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 9 forecast points nearest it (LSE, DBQ, JOT, MKG, FWA, CLE, AGC, EKN, RIC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

Height	Average wind	Head- or tailwind	Temperature	Ground speed	Time en route	Arrival
3,500 ft	270° at 15 kt	−14 kt		134 kt	5 h 39 min	8:10 am EDT (12:10 UTC)
5,500 ft	290° at 15 kt	−15 kt	12 °C	135 kt	5 h 37 min	8:08 am EDT (12:08 UTC)
7,500 ft	300° at 14 kt	−14 kt	11 °C	134 kt	5 h 39 min	8:10 am EDT (12:10 UTC)
9,500 ft	310° at 13 kt	−12 kt	8 °C	132 kt	5 h 45 min	8:16 am EDT (12:16 UTC)
11,500 ft	310° at 11 kt	−11 kt	5 °C	131 kt	5 h 47 min	8:18 am EDT (12:18 UTC)
13,500 ft	310° at 13 kt	−13 kt	1 °C	133 kt	5 h 42 min	8:13 am EDT (12:13 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 17 kt	−17 kt	-4 °C	137 kt	5 h 32 min	8:03 am EDT (12:03 UTC)
17,500 ft	300° at 20 kt	−20 kt	-8 °C	140 kt	5 h 25 min	7:56 am EDT (11:56 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	300° at 21 kt	−21 kt	-9 °C	141 kt	5 h 23 min	7:54 am EDT (11:54 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	300° at 26 kt	−26 kt	-20 °C	146 kt	5 h 12 min	7:43 am EDT (11:43 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 33 kt	−32 kt	-35 °C	152 kt	4 h 59 min	7:30 am EDT (11:30 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	300° at 44 kt	−43 kt	-43 °C	163 kt	4 h 39 min	7:10 am EDT (11:10 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	300° at 49 kt	−49 kt	-50 °C	169 kt	4 h 29 min	7:00 am EDT (11:00 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
LSE	used from 0 nm out; 31 nm from the line	230/40	240/24 17°	240/13 10°	250/13 6°	280/22 -9°	250/28 -21°	250/41 -34°	260/42 -44°	270/62 -53°
DBQ	used from 100 nm out; 64 nm from the line	230/33	250/30 16°	280/15 9°	260/15 5°	260/21 -7°	260/24 -20°	250/37 -33°	270/42 -43°	280/63 -52°
JOT	used from 150 nm out; 88 nm from the line	250/23	270/22 15°	250/16 10°	240/9 4°	280/22 -7°	280/29 -19°	300/29 -34°	290/50 -43°	300/64 -52°
MKG	used from 249 nm out; 54 nm from the line	260/22	290/16 15°	300/11 10°	290/5 3°	300/26 -9°	300/32 -20°	320/48 -36°	320/61 -45°	310/74 -53°
FWA	used from 299 nm out; 64 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°
CLE	used from 399 nm out; 77 nm from the line	340/7	010/16 13°	350/18 8°	350/20 3°	340/31 -10°	340/46 -21°	340/54 -37°	330/62 -44°	340/65 -49°
AGC	used from 549 nm out; 30 nm from the line	350/14	330/20 11°	340/18 8°	330/17 3°	340/22 -11°	340/31 -22°	330/33 -36°	300/34 -41°	300/35 -47°
EKN	used from 649 nm out; 68 nm from the line		330/21 12°	330/25 7°	350/22 2°	330/24 -10°	310/27 -21°	320/33 -35°	290/31 -39°	290/34 -47°
RIC	used from 698 nm out; 99 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°

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
RST Rochester, MN	departure	VFR	from the south (190°) at 12 knots	9 mi	none	1,317 ft	12:54 am CDT (05:54 UTC)
LSE La Crosse, WI	50 nm out, 16 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 12 knots	10+ mi	none	655 ft	05:53 UTC
MSN Madison, WI	150 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	886 ft	05:53 UTC
ENW Kenosha, WI	220 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	742 ft	05:53 UTC
BEH Benton Harbor, MI	289 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	649 ft	05:53 UTC
AZO Kalamazoo, MI	319 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	5 mi	none	873 ft	05:53 UTC
TOL Toledo, OH	409 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots	7 mi	1,400 ft	683 ft	05:52 UTC
MFD Mansfield, OH	479 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 300 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: mist	from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 knots	5 mi	300 ft	1,297 ft	05:52 UTC
HLG Wheeling, WV	569 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet	from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	400 ft	1,194 ft	05:53 UTC
MGW Morgantown, WV	619 nm out, 20 nm southwest of the line, tower	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: mist	calm	2.5 mi	500 ft	1,243 ft	05:53 UTC
JYO Leesburg, VA	728 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: heavy rain	from the north (360°) at 6 knots	4 mi	600 ft	389 ft	06:15 UTC
DCA Washington, DC	destination	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet	from the northwest (320°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	1,000 ft	14 ft	2:02 am EDT (06:02 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,317 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC)

Wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet IFR

The whole forecast for DCA

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet

The forecast for RST, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 15,000 feet

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

6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, 549 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, 549 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 0 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC

Daylight

Sunset at RST 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DCA is before sunrise there (7:14 am EDT (11:14 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 upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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: Rochester International, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.