Santa FE Regional to Durango-La Plata County SAF → DRO
122 nautical miles (141 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 319°, about 311° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 54 min at the quickest height in today's winds (18,000 ft, a 16-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:41 pm MDT (01:41 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SAF is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 16 knots, gusting to 24; DRO is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18. 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 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 W68W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 7:55 pm MDT (01:55 UTC). Over the whole route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112355 MKCW WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 68W VALID UNTIL 0155Z CO NM AZ UT FROM 30W CHE-20NNW TBE-60SE ABQ-40N SJN-30SW MTU-30W CHE AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 47 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 28 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 113 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 SAF.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- GLF4 at 43,000 ft, 25 nm north, 6:09 pm MDT (00:09 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-38. At the destination end, 25 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
FMN UA /OV RSK360050/TM 0009/FL430/TP GLF4/TB MOD CHOP/RM ZDVWC-38
- Report
- a routine report filed through FMN
- Where
- 50 nm north (360°) of RSK
- Time
- 00:09 UTC
- Height
- at 43,000 ft
- Aircraft
- GLF4
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- ZDVWC-38
- E545 at 45,000 ft, 34 nm southwest, 4:29 pm MDT (22:29 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the destination end, 34 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FMN UA /OV RSK2950301/TM 2229/FL450/TP E545/TB MOD CHOP/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through FMN
- Where
- 301 nm southwest (950°) of RSK2
- Time
- 22:29 UTC
- Height
- at 45,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E545
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- zdvwc
- CRJ7 at 10,000 ft, 0 nm southeast, 5:49 pm MDT (23:49 UTC): remarks: light turbulence, bases above 10,000 ft, vsby 3 miles continuously, during the descent rnav RY20 KSAF. At the departure end, 0 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
SAF UA /OV KSAF/TM 2349/FL100 /TP CRJ7/RM LIGHT TURBULENCE, BASES ABOVE 100, VSBY 3 MILES CONTINUOUSLY, DURD RNAV RY20 KSAF
- Report
- a routine report filed through SAF
- Where
- over KSAF
- Time
- 23:49 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Remarks
- light turbulence, bases above 10,000 ft, vsby 3 miles continuously, during the descent rnav RY20 KSAF
- B38M at 37,000 ft, 39 nm northeast, 4:55 pm MDT (22:55 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zab fdcs. At the departure end, 39 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
AXX UA /OV CIM210040/TM 2255/FL370/TP B38M/TB LGT-CONS MOD CHOP/RM ZAB FDCS
- Report
- a routine report filed through AXX
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (210°) of CIM
- Time
- 22:55 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- lgt-cons moderate chop
- Remarks
- zab fdcs
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 2 forecast points nearest it (ABQ, FMN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 26 kt | −8 kt | 13 °C | 128 kt | 57 min | 7:44 pm MDT (01:44 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 27 kt | −7 kt | 8 °C | 127 kt | 58 min | 7:45 pm MDT (01:45 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −7 kt | 3 °C | 127 kt | 58 min | 7:45 pm MDT (01:45 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 210° at 36 kt | −10 kt | -1 °C | 130 kt | 56 min | 7:43 pm MDT (01:43 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 210° at 43 kt | −13 kt | -5 °C | 133 kt | 55 min | 7:42 pm MDT (01:42 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 210° at 48 kt | −16 kt | -8 °C | 136 kt | 54 min | 7:41 pm MDT (01:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 54 kt | −5 kt | -21 °C | 125 kt | 59 min | 7:46 pm MDT (01:46 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 79 kt | +1 kt | -29 °C | 119 kt | 1 h 02 min | 7:49 pm MDT (01:49 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 76 kt | +6 kt | -36 °C | 114 kt | 1 h 04 min | 7:51 pm MDT (01:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 63 kt | +5 kt | -46 °C | 115 kt | 1 h 04 min | 7:51 pm MDT (01:51 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABQ | used from 0 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 200/28 13° | 210/28 5° | 210/44 -7° | 230/46 -20° | 230/80 -28° | 240/74 -35° | 240/58 -47° | ||
| FMN | used from 47 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 220/25 13° | 220/28 4° | 210/51 -9° | 220/59 -21° | 230/78 -30° | 230/77 -36° | 230/66 -46° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet, overcast at 8,500 feet Weather: light rain | from the west-southwest (240°) at 16 knots, gusting to 24 | 7 mi | 7,000 ft | 6,348 ft | 5:53 pm MDT (23:53 UTC) |
| LAM Los Alamos, NM | 19 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,500 feet, overcast at 9,500 feet | variable at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 7,170 ft | 00:35 UTC |
| DRO Durango, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 8,000 feet, overcast at 9,500 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 6,689 ft | 5:53 pm MDT (23:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,170 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DRO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:41 pm MDT (01:41 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet VFR
30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 7,000 feet (thunderheads) marginal VFR
The whole forecast for DRO
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 7,000 feet (thunderheads)
- From Sun 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
The forecast for SAF, the departure
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind variable at 20 knots, gusting to 35, light thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 6,000 feet (thunderheads)
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 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 SAF 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC), at DRO 6:38 pm MDT (00:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:04 pm MDT (01:04 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DRO is after sunset there (6:39 pm MDT (00:39 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: Santa FE Regional, Durango-La Plata County.