Southwest Florida International to St. Louis Lambert International RSW → STL
852 nautical miles (980 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 332°, about 336° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 49 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 12:55 pm CDT (17:55 UTC). Right now RSW is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots; STL is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) 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: 2,009 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: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the route from 178 to 208 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Near the route, 535 nm along 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 RSW.
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 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 9 forecast points nearest it (PIE, TLH, CSG, MGM, BHM, HSV, BNA, CGI, STL). 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 | 320° at 15 kt | +15 kt | 105 kt | 8 h 07 min | 1:13 pm CDT (18:13 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 14 kt | +14 kt | 15 °C | 106 kt | 8 h 02 min | 1:08 pm CDT (18:08 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 13 kt | +13 kt | 12 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 58 min | 1:04 pm CDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 13 kt | +12 kt | 8 °C | 108 kt | 7 h 53 min | 12:59 pm CDT (17:59 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 5 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 49 min | 12:55 pm CDT (17:55 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +13 kt | 1 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 58 min | 1:04 pm CDT (18:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +16 kt | -3 °C | 104 kt | 8 h 12 min | 1:18 pm CDT (18:18 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 21 kt | +18 kt | -6 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 21 min | 1:27 pm CDT (18:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 21 kt | +19 kt | -18 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 26 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 31 kt | +29 kt | -32 °C | 91 kt | 9 h 22 min | 2:28 pm CDT (19:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 36 kt | +35 kt | -41 °C | 85 kt | 10 h 01 min | 3:07 pm CDT (20:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 31 kt | +30 kt | -51 °C | 90 kt | 9 h 28 min | 2:34 pm CDT (19:34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIE | used from 0 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 360/10 | 340/12 18° | 330/9 13° | 290/12 8° | 260/21 -7° | 280/18 -18° | 250/20 -33° | 250/26 -41° | 250/20 -51° |
| TLH | used from 198 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 340/23 | 350/26 17° | 350/21 11° | 300/13 6° | 320/25 -6° | 340/35 -16° | 350/44 -32° | 360/51 -42° | 350/33 -52° |
| CSG | used from 347 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 330/27 | 340/28 16° | 350/28 11° | 330/17 6° | 340/25 -6° | 350/33 -18° | 330/46 -32° | 340/45 -41° | 350/31 -52° |
| MGM | used from 396 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 320/19 | 330/16 17° | 340/21 11° | 330/11 5° | 330/27 -6° | 330/21 -17° | 330/37 -32° | 340/44 -40° | 360/30 -52° |
| BHM | used from 446 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 310/19 | 310/15 16° | 320/19 11° | 330/15 5° | 330/23 -5° | 320/14 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 330/44 -40° | 340/36 -51° |
| HSV | used from 545 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 300/20 | 310/14 16° | 310/18 10° | 310/15 4° | 320/19 -5° | 290/16 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 320/47 -41° | 330/42 -50° |
| BNA | used from 594 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| CGI | used from 693 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| STL | used from 792 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/21 15° | 240/22 11° | 250/23 6° | 270/28 -7° | 260/30 -19° | 280/52 -31° | 280/57 -40° | 300/57 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSW Fort Myers, FL | departure | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots | 9 mi | 1,000 ft | 29 ft | 5:53 am EDT (09:53 UTC) |
| PGD Punta Gorda, FL | 30 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 feet | from the north (010°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 25 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| PIE St Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 99 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (360°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 10 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| FPY Perry, FL | 228 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 2 mi | none | 44 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| TLH Tallahassee, FL | 267 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 83 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| AUO Auburn, AL | 416 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 776 ft | 05:21 UTC | |
| BHM Birmingham, AL | 495 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | calm | 9 mi | none | 650 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| HSV Huntsville, AL | 555 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| HZD Huntingdon, TN | 664 nm out, 10 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 496 ft | 09:50 UTC |
| PAH Paducah, KY | 723 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 410 ft | 00:00 UTC |
| MDH Carbondale/Murphysboro, IL | 773 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 411 ft | 09:52 UTC |
| STL St Louis, MO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 617 ft | 4:51 am CDT (09:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 776 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At STL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:55 pm CDT (17:55 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for STL
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for RSW, the departure
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 6 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) and 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 200 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 RSW 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC), at STL 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 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: Southwest Florida International, St. Louis Lambert International.