Plan a flight · Mon 1:06 am CDT (06:06 UTC)

Sioux Gateway/Brig General Bud Day Field to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport SUX → MSP

203 nautical miles (233 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 042°, about 039° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 41-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:22 am CDT (07:22 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SUX is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots; MSP is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 5 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: 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

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 first 39 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 SUX.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

A321 at 16,500 ft, 10 nm northwest, 10:25 pm CDT (03:25 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: during the climb. 164 nm along the route, 10 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MSP UA /OV MSP235040/TM 0325/FL165/TP A321/TB CONS LGT /RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through MSP
Where
40 nm southwest (235°) of MSP
Time
03:25 UTC
Height
at 16,500 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
continuous light
Remarks
during the climb

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 3 forecast points nearest it (FSD, MCW, MSP). 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	220° at 23 kt	−23 kt		143 kt	1 h 25 min	2:31 am CDT (07:31 UTC)
5,500 ft	240° at 28 kt	−27 kt		147 kt	1 h 23 min	2:29 am CDT (07:29 UTC)
7,500 ft	240° at 25 kt	−24 kt	15 °C	144 kt	1 h 25 min	2:31 am CDT (07:31 UTC)
9,500 ft	240° at 21 kt	−20 kt	11 °C	140 kt	1 h 27 min	2:33 am CDT (07:33 UTC)
11,500 ft	240° at 20 kt	−19 kt	7 °C	139 kt	1 h 28 min	2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC)
13,500 ft	250° at 21 kt	−19 kt	2 °C	139 kt	1 h 28 min	2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC)
15,500 ft	250° at 23 kt	−20 kt	-3 °C	140 kt	1 h 27 min	2:33 am CDT (07:33 UTC)
17,500 ft	250° at 25 kt	−22 kt	-8 °C	142 kt	1 h 26 min	2:32 am CDT (07:32 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	250° at 26 kt	−22 kt	-9 °C	142 kt	1 h 26 min	2:32 am CDT (07:32 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	260° at 32 kt	−26 kt	-21 °C	146 kt	1 h 23 min	2:29 am CDT (07:29 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	250° at 40 kt	−36 kt	-36 °C	156 kt	1 h 18 min	2:24 am CDT (07:24 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	260° at 50 kt	−41 kt	-44 °C	161 kt	1 h 16 min	2:22 am CDT (07:22 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 56 kt	−41 kt	-49 °C	161 kt	1 h 16 min	2:22 am CDT (07:22 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
FSD	used from 0 nm out; 62 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 96 nm out; 68 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°
MSP	used from 145 nm out; 34 nm from the line	230/26	240/30 17°	240/24 12°	250/22 5°	250/35 -10°	260/36 -21°	250/41 -36°	250/49 -45°	260/58 -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
SUX Sioux City, IA	departure	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots	9 mi	none	1,098 ft	12:52 am CDT (05:52 UTC)
LRJ Le Mars, IA	19 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	1,197 ft	05:55 UTC
SPW Spencer, IA	68 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	1,338 ft	05:53 UTC
MJQ Jackson, MN	96 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	1,445 ft	05:55 UTC
JYG St James, MN	125 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the northwest (310°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	1,067 ft	05:55 UTC
FBL Faribault, MN	174 nm out, 20 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,060 ft	05:55 UTC
MSP Minneapolis, MN	destination	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	841 ft	12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,445 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:22 am CDT (07:22 UTC)

Wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSP

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet

The forecast for SUX, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP

Daylight

Sunset at SUX 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSP is before sunrise there (7:24 am CDT (12:24 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

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Sioux Gateway/Brig General Bud Day Field, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.