John Wayne/Orange County to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field SNA → MSN
1,449 nautical miles (1,667 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 059°, about 047° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 68-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:25 am CDT (16:25 UTC). 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: 5 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 below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 40 to 220 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 50 to 310 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 220 to 549 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 230 to 799 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 250 to 340 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, 300 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the route from 320 to 779 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). Over the route from 589 to 739 nm out.
- 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 last 589 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 SNA.
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 08:00–15:00 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 16 forecast points nearest it (ONT, BLH, LAS, PRC, BCE, FMN, GJT, ALS, PUB, DEN, GLD, GRI, OMA, DSM, MCW, DBQ). 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 | 240° at 27 kt | −27 kt | 17 °C | 147 kt | 9 h 51 min | 1:34 pm CDT (18:34 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 11 °C | 145 kt | 10 h | 1:43 pm CDT (18:43 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 9 °C | 145 kt | 10 h | 1:43 pm CDT (18:43 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | −26 kt | 3 °C | 146 kt | 9 h 55 min | 1:38 pm CDT (18:38 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | −30 kt | -1 °C | 150 kt | 9 h 40 min | 1:23 pm CDT (18:23 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 35 kt | −33 kt | -5 °C | 153 kt | 9 h 28 min | 1:11 pm CDT (18:11 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 38 kt | −37 kt | -9 °C | 157 kt | 9 h 14 min | 12:57 pm CDT (17:57 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 39 kt | −38 kt | -10 °C | 158 kt | 9 h 10 min | 12:53 pm CDT (17:53 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 50 kt | −50 kt | -21 °C | 170 kt | 8 h 31 min | 12:14 pm CDT (17:14 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 62 kt | −62 kt | -31 °C | 182 kt | 7 h 58 min | 11:41 am CDT (16:41 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 67 kt | −68 kt | -37 °C | 188 kt | 7 h 42 min | 11:25 am CDT (16:25 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 64 kt | −66 kt | -46 °C | 186 kt | 7 h 47 min | 11:30 am CDT (16:30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONT | used from 0 nm out; 13 nm from the line | 250/11 | 200/20 4° | 210/27 3° | 220/26 -4° | 240/32 -13° | 220/52 -21° | 220/67 -30° | 220/72 -37° | 220/65 -46° |
| BLH | used from 100 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 240/19 | 210/20 10° | 200/27 4° | 210/34 -2° | 220/59 -10° | 220/67 -20° | 220/75 -29° | 230/78 -38° | 220/90 -47° |
| LAS | used from 150 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| PRC | used from 250 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 200/37 6° | 200/35 0° | 220/60 -11° | 220/71 -20° | 220/88 -29° | 220/98 -35° | 220/94 -45° | ||
| BCE | used from 300 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 200/32 -2° | 210/57 -15° | 220/71 -22° | 220/69 -30° | 220/64 -38° | 220/67 -44° | |||
| FMN | used from 450 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 220/16 6° | 220/39 1° | 220/50 -10° | 230/67 -23° | 230/94 -29° | 230/102 -35° | 230/90 -46° | ||
| GJT | used from 549 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 220/26 6° | 230/39 0° | 220/55 -13° | 230/60 -23° | 230/78 -31° | 230/80 -35° | 230/74 -44° | ||
| ALS | used from 599 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 240/35 3° | 230/54 -9° | 240/66 -19° | 230/85 -26° | 240/87 -34° | 240/70 -47° | |||
| PUB | used from 649 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 260/45 11° | 240/38 6° | 230/47 -8° | 230/51 -19° | 240/74 -29° | 240/82 -35° | 250/72 -48° | ||
| DEN | used from 699 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° | ||
| GLD | used from 799 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 260/37 | 260/25 14° | 250/27 8° | 230/36 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 250/71 -30° | 260/82 -36° | 250/73 -48° | |
| GRI | used from 949 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/39 23° | 230/32 15° | 210/29 7° | 230/31 -8° | 230/43 -21° | 250/52 -31° | 260/59 -35° | 260/59 -46° | |
| OMA | used from 1099 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| DSM | used from 1199 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| MCW | used from 1249 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| DBQ | used from 1299 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNA Santa Ana, CA | departure | no report just now | 55 ft | ||||
| RAL Riverside, CA | 30 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 818 ft | ||||
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | 190 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 707 ft | ||||
| GCN Grand Canyon, AZ | 310 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,608 ft | ||||
| BDG Blanding, UT | 470 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | no report just now | 5,867 ft | ||||
| APA Denver, CO | 719 nm out, 21 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,884 ft | ||||
| RYA Wray, CO | 839 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,677 ft | ||||
| LXN Lexington, NE | 959 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,412 ft | ||||
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 1029 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,847 ft | ||||
| CIN Carroll, IA | 1199 nm out, 0 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,203 ft | ||||
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 1309 nm out, 1 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 873 ft | ||||
| MSN Madison, WI | destination | no report just now | 886 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,608 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:25 am CDT (16:25 UTC)
MSN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 5 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZLA
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, 180 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC on the route, 679 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at SNA 6:20 pm PDT (01:20 UTC), at MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 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: John Wayne/Orange County, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.