Seattle-Tacoma International to Chicago Midway International SEA → MDW
1,502 nautical miles (1,729 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 090°, about 074° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 42-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:21 pm CDT (17:21 UTC). Right now SEA is VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 3 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 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: 1,347 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 route from 30 to 398 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 159 to 627 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 249 to 557 nm out.
- 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 269 to 1124 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 627 to 746 nm out.
- 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, 766 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 1204 to 1423 nm out.
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
Not fetched just now.
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 15 forecast points nearest it (SEA, YKM, GEG, LWS, GPI, GTF, BIL, MLS, DIK, PIR, ABR, FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 190° at 7 kt | +2 kt | 4 °C | 118 kt | 12 h 44 min | 3:49 pm CDT (20:49 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 200° at 7 kt | 0 | 7 °C | 120 kt | 12 h 31 min | 3:36 pm CDT (20:36 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 8 kt | −1 kt | 3 °C | 121 kt | 12 h 25 min | 3:30 pm CDT (20:30 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 13 kt | −4 kt | 0 °C | 124 kt | 12 h 07 min | 3:12 pm CDT (20:12 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | −7 kt | -4 °C | 127 kt | 11 h 50 min | 2:55 pm CDT (19:55 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | −10 kt | -7 °C | 130 kt | 11 h 33 min | 2:38 pm CDT (19:38 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | −12 kt | -11 °C | 132 kt | 11 h 23 min | 2:28 pm CDT (19:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 21 kt | −13 kt | -12 °C | 133 kt | 11 h 18 min | 2:23 pm CDT (19:23 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 23 kt | −14 kt | -23 °C | 134 kt | 11 h 13 min | 2:18 pm CDT (19:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 28 kt | −18 kt | -36 °C | 138 kt | 10 h 53 min | 1:58 pm CDT (18:58 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 39 kt | −32 kt | -41 °C | 152 kt | 9 h 53 min | 12:58 pm CDT (17:58 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 48 kt | −42 kt | -46 °C | 162 kt | 9 h 16 min | 12:21 pm CDT (17:21 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 50 nm out; 52 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° |
| GEG | used from 99 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 080/16 -2° | 050/17 -7° | 080/9 -10° | 190/33 -21° | 180/31 -32° | L/V -35° | L/V -37° | 270/8 -40° | |
| LWS | used from 249 nm out; 78 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° |
| GPI | used from 298 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 070/19 -5° | 100/16 -7° | 080/10 -8° | 130/8 -19° | 170/37 -28° | 200/50 -40° | 210/43 -40° | 220/41 -42° | |
| GTF | used from 348 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° | |
| BIL | used from 497 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 597 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| DIK | used from 746 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| PIR | used from 846 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| ABR | used from 945 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| FSD | used from 1045 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| MCW | used from 1144 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| DBQ | used from 1293 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| JOT | used from 1443 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
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 west (270°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 432 ft | 12:53 am PDT (07:53 UTC) |
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 119 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (350°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,188 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| GEG Spokane, WA | 189 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 2,385 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| MSO Missoula, MT | 338 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 8 mi | 8,000 ft | 3,205 ft | 08:02 UTC |
| RPX Roundup, MT | 567 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,490 ft | ||||
| MLS Miles City, MT | 677 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (050°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 2,634 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| LEM Lemmon, SD | 836 nm out, 20 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,572 ft | ||||
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 905 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 11 knots | 9 mi | 500 ft | 1,716 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| MWM Windom, MN | 1154 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,410 ft | 08:01 UTC |
| PDC Prairie du Chien, WI | 1333 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 17:15 UTC |
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 1482 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 758 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,490 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:21 pm CDT (17:21 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MDW
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
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 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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, Chicago Midway International.