St. Louis Lambert International to Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field STL → BFF
633 nautical miles (729 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 291°, about 292° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 48 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 3:25 am MDT (09:25 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now STL is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 8 knots; BFF is VFR, wind from the east (100°) at 12 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: 2 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 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 178 to 564 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 59 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 STL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (STL, COU, MKC, OMA, GRI, BFF). 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 | 220° at 31 kt | +13 kt | 21 °C | 107 kt | 5 h 55 min | 3:32 am MDT (09:32 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +14 kt | 17 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 58 min | 3:35 am MDT (09:35 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | +14 kt | 13 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 58 min | 3:35 am MDT (09:35 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | +12 kt | 9 °C | 108 kt | 5 h 52 min | 3:29 am MDT (09:29 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | +11 kt | 5 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 48 min | 3:25 am MDT (09:25 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | +14 kt | 1 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 58 min | 3:35 am MDT (09:35 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 24 kt | +18 kt | -4 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 12 min | 3:49 am MDT (09:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 26 kt | +21 kt | -7 °C | 99 kt | 6 h 24 min | 4:01 am MDT (10:01 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 33 kt | +24 kt | -19 °C | 96 kt | 6 h 36 min | 4:13 am MDT (10:13 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 42 kt | +34 kt | -32 °C | 86 kt | 7 h 22 min | 4:59 am MDT (10:59 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 51 kt | +46 kt | -39 °C | 74 kt | 8 h 33 min | 6:10 am MDT (12:10 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 55 kt | +53 kt | -49 °C | 67 kt | 9 h 27 min | 7:04 am MDT (13:04 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STL | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| COU | used from 49 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| MKC | used from 148 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| OMA | used from 247 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| GRI | used from 346 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| BFF | used from 495 nm out; 114 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STL St Louis, MO | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 617 ft | 9:51 pm CDT (02:51 UTC) |
| FYG Washington, MO | 20 nm out, 20 nm southwest of the line | VFR Weather: haze | calm | 6 mi | none | 487 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| MYJ Mexico, MO | 69 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 822 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| CHT Chillicothe, MO | 158 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 783 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 218 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| FNB Falls City, NE | 257 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 983 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 317 nm out, 21 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 386 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,847 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| LBF North Platte, NE | 495 nm out, 12 nm south of the line | VFR | from the east (100°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,777 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| OGA Ogallala, NE | 544 nm out, 25 nm south of the line | VFR | from the east (080°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,279 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| OKS Oshkosh, NE | 574 nm out, 15 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,394 ft | ||||
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | destination | VFR | from the east (100°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,967 ft | 8:53 pm MDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,967 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BFF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:25 am MDT (09:25 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for BFF
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for STL, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 89 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at STL 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC), at BFF 6:17 pm MDT (00:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:45 pm MDT (00:45 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BFF is before sunrise there (7:03 am MDT (13:03 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: St. Louis Lambert International, Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field.