Plan a flight · Mon 8:18 am EDT (12:18 UTC)

Louisville Muhammad Ali International to George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport SDF → IAH

685 nautical miles (788 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 227°, about 232° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:55 pm CDT (17:55 UTC). Right now SDF is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots; IAH is VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 5 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: 3,956 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 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 89 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 SDF.

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

A321 , 30 nm northwest, 8:03 am EDT (12:03 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZFW86. 516 nm along the route, 30 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
SHV UA /OV EMG/TM 1203/FLB38M/TP A321/TB OCNL LGT CHOP DURC/RM ZFW86
```
Report
a routine report filed through SHV
Where
over EMG
Time
12:03 UTC
Height
at B38M
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
occasional light chop during the climb
Remarks
ZFW86
B738 at 18,000 ft, 40 nm northwest, 7:59 am EDT (11:59 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: zhu. 655 nm along the route, 40 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
UTS UA /OV KLOA155020/TM 1159/FL180/TP B738/TB LGT CHOPN 180-230/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through UTS
Where
20 nm southeast (155°) of KLOA
Time
11:59 UTC
Height
at 18,000 ft
Aircraft
B738
Turbulence
light chopn from 18,000 ft to 23,000 ft
Remarks
zhu
A21N at 32,000 ft, 2 nm south, 8:04 am EDT (12:04 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IAH UA /OV KDAS134010/TM 1204/FL320/TP A21N/TB NEG/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through IAH
Where
10 nm southeast (134°) of KDAS
Time
12:04 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
none
Remarks
zhu
SF30 at 21,000 ft, 2 nm south, 5:35 am EDT (09:35 UTC): light rime icing, -10 °C, remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IAH UA /OV DAS02002/TM 0935/FL210/TP SF30/TA M10/IC LGT RIME/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through IAH
Where
DAS02002
Time
09:35 UTC
Height
at 21,000 ft
Aircraft
SF30
Temperature
−10 °C
Icing
light rime
Remarks
zhu

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 8 forecast points nearest it (LOU, EVV, BNA, MEM, LIT, SHV, LCH, HOU). 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	240° at 15 kt	+14 kt		106 kt	6 h 28 min	1:46 pm CDT (18:46 UTC)
6,500 ft	250° at 14 kt	+14 kt	16 °C	106 kt	6 h 28 min	1:46 pm CDT (18:46 UTC)
8,500 ft	250° at 14 kt	+13 kt	12 °C	107 kt	6 h 24 min	1:42 pm CDT (18:42 UTC)
10,500 ft	260° at 14 kt	+12 kt	9 °C	108 kt	6 h 21 min	1:39 pm CDT (18:39 UTC)
12,500 ft	260° at 13 kt	+11 kt	5 °C	109 kt	6 h 17 min	1:35 pm CDT (18:35 UTC)
14,500 ft	270° at 15 kt	+11 kt	1 °C	109 kt	6 h 17 min	1:35 pm CDT (18:35 UTC)
16,500 ft	270° at 17 kt	+11 kt	-3 °C	109 kt	6 h 17 min	1:35 pm CDT (18:35 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 18 kt	+11 kt	-6 °C	109 kt	6 h 17 min	1:35 pm CDT (18:35 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 22 kt	+14 kt	-17 °C	106 kt	6 h 28 min	1:46 pm CDT (18:46 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 35 kt	+8 kt	-31 °C	112 kt	6 h 07 min	1:25 pm CDT (18:25 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 42 kt	+6 kt	-40 °C	114 kt	6 h 01 min	1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	320° at 42 kt	−2 kt	-51 °C	122 kt	5 h 37 min	12:55 pm CDT (17:55 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
LOU	used from 0 nm out; 30 nm from the line	300/16	310/19 15°	310/17 9°	300/15 4°	300/26 -6°	280/34 -19°	290/30 -34°	310/49 -42°	310/58 -51°
EVV	used from 50 nm out; 53 nm from the line	270/25	290/17 15°	260/10 8°	270/16 5°	280/29 -6°	280/33 -19°	290/38 -33°	300/53 -41°	310/54 -51°
BNA	used from 99 nm out; 59 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°
MEM	used from 198 nm out; 55 nm from the line	250/19	260/19 17°	270/20 12°	270/16 6°	270/21 -6°	290/27 -17°	300/37 -30°	300/49 -40°	310/40 -51°
LIT	used from 347 nm out; 75 nm from the line	250/22	250/25 18°	240/23 12°	240/20 7°	250/17 -6°	260/25 -17°	300/45 -29°	300/49 -40°	310/43 -51°
SHV	used from 447 nm out; 66 nm from the line	210/20	210/20 18°	230/20 11°	240/16 7°	270/17 -7°	250/11 -15°	300/34 -30°	310/34 -40°	320/36 -51°
LCH	used from 595 nm out; 78 nm from the line	170/21	160/23 18°	170/13 13°	170/6 8°	300/12 -7°	280/16 -14°	320/27 -30°	330/23 -41°	340/38 -51°
HOU	used from 645 nm out; 37 nm from the line	180/22	180/20 16°	170/7 15°	L/V 8°	220/11 -6°	260/15 -13°	310/20 -30°	320/20 -40°	350/32 -51°

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
SDF Louisville, KY	departure	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet Weather: mist	from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots	6 mi	25,000 ft	500 ft	7:56 am EDT (11:56 UTC)
EKX Elizabethtown, KY	30 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	100 ft	775 ft	11:55 UTC
HVC Hopkinsville, KY	109 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line	IFR Weather: mist	calm	1.25 mi	none	563 ft	11:50 UTC
HZD Huntingdon, TN	179 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	496 ft	11:50 UTC
MKL Jackson, TN	218 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	434 ft	11:53 UTC
OLV Olive Branch, MS	278 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	401 ft	11:50 UTC
GLH Greenville, MS	377 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	130 ft	11:53 UTC
MLU Monroe, LA	456 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	78 ft	11:53 UTC
IER Natchitoches, LA	526 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	200 ft	121 ft	11:55 UTC
JAS Jasper, TX	595 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,300 feet	calm	7 mi	2,300 ft	212 ft	11:55 UTC
IAH Houston, TX	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 23,000 feet	from the east (090°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	23,000 ft	95 ft	6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 775 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At IAH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:55 pm CDT (17:55 UTC)

Wind from the southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for IAH

From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
30% chance between Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): light rain showers
From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 13 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet
At times between Tue 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): overcast at 1,500 feet

The forecast for SDF, the departure

From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, clear skies
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Tue 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south 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 SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at IAH 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 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 central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · 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: Louisville Muhammad Ali International, George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport.