Seattle-Tacoma International to Idaho Falls Regional SEA → IDA
491 nautical miles (565 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 115°, about 099° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 10-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:21 am MDT (10:21 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SEA is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 6 knots; IDA is marginal VFR, wind calm. 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: 1,434 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 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 187 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 118 to 334 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 295 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 265 to 452 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 275 to 442 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 147 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 SEA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E75L at 1,500 ft, 8 nm south, 9:49 pm PDT (04:49 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear loss of 8 knots on final. 147 nm along the route, 8 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
PSC UA /OV PSC120003/TM 0449/FL015/TP E75L/RM LLWS LOSS OF 8 KTS ON FINAL
- Report
- a routine report filed through PSC
- Where
- 3 nm southeast (120°) of PSC
- Time
- 04:49 UTC
- Height
- at 1,500 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Remarks
- low-level wind shear loss of 8 knots on final
- E75L descending, 33 nm south, 9:35 pm PDT (04:35 UTC): light turbulence from 11,000 ft to 14,000 ft, light rime icing from 8,000 ft to 12,000 ft, -10 °C. 167 nm along the route, 33 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
GEG UA /OV PDT/TM 0435/FLDURD/TP E75L/TA M10/TB LT TURB 140-110/IC LT RIME 120-080
- Report
- a routine report filed through GEG
- Where
- over PDT
- Time
- 04:35 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Temperature
- −10 °C
- Turbulence
- lt turbulence from 14,000 ft to 11,000 ft
- Icing
- lt rime from 12,000 ft to 8,000 ft
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 6 forecast points nearest it (SEA, YKM, LWS, BOI, DLN, PIH). 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 | 070° at 10 kt | +6 kt | 114 kt | 4 h 18 min | 4:52 am MDT (10:52 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 060° at 8 kt | +4 kt | 2 °C | 116 kt | 4 h 14 min | 4:48 am MDT (10:48 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 040° at 8 kt | +2 kt | -4 °C | 118 kt | 4 h 10 min | 4:44 am MDT (10:44 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 020° at 8 kt | 0 | -6 °C | 120 kt | 4 h 06 min | 4:40 am MDT (10:40 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 010° at 4 kt | −1 kt | -8 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 03 min | 4:37 am MDT (10:37 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | light and variable | 0 | -11 °C | 120 kt | 4 h 06 min | 4:40 am MDT (10:40 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 200° at 5 kt | +2 kt | -14 °C | 118 kt | 4 h 10 min | 4:44 am MDT (10:44 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 190° at 9 kt | +3 kt | -18 °C | 117 kt | 4 h 12 min | 4:46 am MDT (10:46 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 190° at 10 kt | +4 kt | -18 °C | 116 kt | 4 h 14 min | 4:48 am MDT (10:48 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 190° at 14 kt | +5 kt | -28 °C | 115 kt | 4 h 16 min | 4:50 am MDT (10:50 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 18 kt | −7 kt | -35 °C | 127 kt | 3 h 52 min | 4:26 am MDT (10:26 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 24 kt | −9 kt | -37 °C | 129 kt | 3 h 48 min | 4:22 am MDT (10:22 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 30 kt | −10 kt | -40 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 47 min | 4:21 am MDT (10:21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 050/7 | 050/11 1° | 050/12 -5° | 030/31 -7° | 010/61 -15° | 010/69 -26° | 360/73 -40° | 360/62 -47° | 330/21 -43° |
| YKM | used from 49 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 070/10 | 040/15 -1° | 020/27 -8° | 030/25 -13° | 020/48 -20° | 010/83 -27° | 010/77 -37° | 010/49 -40° | 350/14 -41° |
| LWS | used from 147 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 070/10 | 080/12 -2° | 030/12 -6° | 080/7 -10° | 170/34 -21° | 160/46 -32° | 200/33 -35° | 220/22 -35° | 230/18 -38° |
| BOI | used from 295 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 300/7 2° | 280/5 -4° | 210/16 -9° | 210/60 -20° | 210/75 -29° | 210/63 -32° | 220/64 -32° | 220/54 -39° | |
| DLN | used from 344 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 090/6 -6° | 240/22 -4° | 210/34 -16° | 210/62 -25° | 210/66 -34° | 210/82 -36° | 220/77 -42° | ||
| PIH | used from 442 nm out; 49 nm from the line | L/V | 240/13 1° | 240/15 -3° | 210/42 -15° | 200/70 -25° | 220/74 -29° | 220/71 -36° | 220/62 -43° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA Seattle, WA | departure | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 432 ft | 10:53 pm PDT (05:53 UTC) |
| ESW Easton, WA | 49 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,226 ft | ||||
| YKM Yakima, WA | 88 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 10,000 feet | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 1,098 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PSC Pasco, WA | 147 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 410 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| ALW Walla Walla, WA | 187 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 12,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 1,194 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| JSY Joseph, OR | 246 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,126 ft | 14:30 UTC |
| MYL Mc Call, ID | 304 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 feet, overcast at 4,900 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,900 ft | 5,024 ft | 05:51 UTC |
| LLJ Challis, ID | 383 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 3,600 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 5,075 ft | 06:29 UTC |
| AOC Arco, ID | 442 nm out, 24 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 5,334 ft | ||||
| IDA Idaho Falls, ID | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 4,743 ft | 11:53 pm MDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,334 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IDA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:21 am MDT (10:21 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 1,400 feet and more above marginal VFR
The whole forecast for IDA
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 1,400 feet and more above
- From Mon 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet and more above
The forecast for SEA, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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 SEA 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC), at IDA 6:48 pm MDT (00:48 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:17 pm MDT (01:17 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at IDA is before sunrise there (7:38 am MDT (13:38 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: Seattle-Tacoma International, Idaho Falls Regional.