Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International SDF → ROC
472 nautical miles (543 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 048°, about 053° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 31-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:16 pm EDT (03:16 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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 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 E17E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Near the route, 197 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 112355 MKCE WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 17E VALID UNTIL 0155Z PA MD VA NC WV OH KY FROM 30WSW EWC-20E RIC-70NNE ILM-70W BKW-10ESE APE-30WSW EWC AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- 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 393 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 147 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 383 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 59 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 24,000 ft. Over the last 29 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
Not fetched just now.
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 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 (LOU, CVG, CMH, CLE, BUF). 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 | 320° at 5 kt | 0 | 120 kt | 3 h 56 min | 12:04 am EDT (04:04 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 10 kt | +1 kt | 119 kt | 3 h 58 min | 12:06 am EDT (04:06 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 11 kt | +3 kt | 10 °C | 117 kt | 4 h 02 min | 12:10 am EDT (04:10 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 340° at 12 kt | +4 kt | 7 °C | 116 kt | 4 h 04 min | 12:12 am EDT (04:12 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 11 kt | +3 kt | 3 °C | 117 kt | 4 h 02 min | 12:10 am EDT (04:10 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 330° at 12 kt | +2 kt | -1 °C | 118 kt | 4 h | 12:08 am EDT (04:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 330° at 14 kt | +2 kt | -5 °C | 118 kt | 4 h | 12:08 am EDT (04:08 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 330° at 16 kt | +2 kt | -9 °C | 118 kt | 4 h | 12:08 am EDT (04:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 330° at 17 kt | +2 kt | -10 °C | 118 kt | 4 h | 12:08 am EDT (04:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 15 kt | −3 kt | -22 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 50 min | 11:58 pm EDT (03:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 24 kt | −12 kt | -35 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 35 min | 11:43 pm EDT (03:43 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 31 kt | −26 kt | -40 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 14 min | 11:22 pm EDT (03:22 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 34 kt | −31 kt | -48 °C | 151 kt | 3 h 08 min | 11:16 pm EDT (03:16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOU | used from 0 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 320/15 | 340/24 14° | 330/28 9° | 340/34 4° | 340/37 -9° | 340/42 -20° | 320/39 -35° | 320/45 -39° | 330/40 -47° |
| CVG | used from 49 nm out; 7 nm from the line | 350/13 | 340/20 13° | 340/22 8° | 350/30 3° | 340/30 -9° | 340/38 -21° | 330/37 -35° | 320/38 -40° | 310/35 -47° |
| CMH | used from 98 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 340/14 | 320/13 12° | 350/12 8° | 360/10 2° | 350/27 -10° | 340/20 -22° | 320/31 -35° | 270/25 -39° | 260/32 -48° |
| CLE | used from 246 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 340/5 | 320/13 14° | 300/12 8° | 310/10 2° | 310/14 -10° | 340/14 -23° | 320/27 -35° | 260/28 -40° | 250/36 -48° |
| BUF | used from 344 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 170/19 | L/V 10° | 040/9 6° | 220/8 2° | 230/15 -11° | 220/33 -22° | 220/47 -35° | 230/55 -41° | 230/56 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDF Louisville, KY | departure | no report just now | 500 ft | ||||
| IMS Madison, IN | 29 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 819 ft | ||||
| LUK Cincinnati, OH | 79 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 481 ft | ||||
| ILN Wilmington, OH | 118 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| TZR Columbus, OH | 157 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 904 ft | ||||
| MFD Mansfield, OH | 216 nm out, 24 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,297 ft | ||||
| CAK Akron, OH | 256 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,225 ft | ||||
| YNG Youngstown/Warren, OH | 295 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,191 ft | ||||
| ERI Erie, PA | 344 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 732 ft | ||||
| JHW Jamestown, NY | 383 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,723 ft | ||||
| BUF Buffalo, NY | 433 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 726 ft | ||||
| ROC Rochester, NY | destination | no report just now | 558 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,723 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ROC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:16 pm EDT (03:16 UTC)
ROC has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 2 nm from the route, 69 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 265 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8888 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, 295 nm along the route · security · today · ZOB
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 0 nm from the route, 295 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at SDF 7:11 pm EDT (23:11 UTC), at ROC 6:33 pm EDT (22:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ROC is after sunset there (6:34 pm EDT (22:34 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: Louisville Muhammad Ali International, Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International.