Tucson International to Northern Colorado Regional TUS → FNL
577 nautical miles (663 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 028°, about 019° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 69-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:04 am MDT (11:04 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now TUS is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots; FNL is VFR, wind from the south (180°) 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: 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 SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 50 to 99 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 457 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the last 447 nm of the route.
- 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 last 169 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 TUS.
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 6 forecast points nearest it (TUS, PHX, ABQ, FMN, ALS, DEN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 11 °C | 144 kt | 4 h | 6:01 am MDT (12:01 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | −28 kt | 9 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 54 min | 5:55 am MDT (11:55 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 36 kt | −35 kt | 5 °C | 155 kt | 3 h 43 min | 5:44 am MDT (11:44 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 41 kt | −40 kt | 1 °C | 160 kt | 3 h 36 min | 5:37 am MDT (11:37 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 46 kt | −45 kt | -3 °C | 165 kt | 3 h 30 min | 5:31 am MDT (11:31 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 50 kt | −50 kt | -8 °C | 170 kt | 3 h 24 min | 5:25 am MDT (11:25 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 52 kt | −51 kt | -9 °C | 171 kt | 3 h 22 min | 5:23 am MDT (11:23 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 59 kt | −57 kt | -21 °C | 177 kt | 3 h 16 min | 5:17 am MDT (11:17 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 73 kt | −68 kt | -27 °C | 188 kt | 3 h 04 min | 5:05 am MDT (11:05 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 78 kt | −69 kt | -34 °C | 189 kt | 3 h 03 min | 5:04 am MDT (11:04 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 65 kt | −60 kt | -46 °C | 180 kt | 3 h 12 min | 5:13 am MDT (11:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 210/13 13° | 200/35 9° | 210/40 5° | 220/50 -7° | 220/59 -18° | 230/79 -26° | 230/84 -35° | 230/84 -48° | |
| PHX | used from 99 nm out; 116 nm from the line | 150/5 | 200/21 12° | 200/27 6° | 200/35 3° | 220/58 -8° | 220/69 -19° | 220/87 -26° | 230/93 -35° | 230/79 -47° |
| ABQ | used from 149 nm out; 134 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| FMN | used from 199 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| ALS | used from 348 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| DEN | used from 447 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS Tucson, AZ | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,800 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 6,500 ft | 2,643 ft | 12:53 am MST (07:53 UTC) |
| SJN St Johns, AZ | 169 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,736 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| GUP Gallup, NM | 229 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,100 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,472 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| FMN Farmington, NM | 308 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,506 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| PSO Pagosa Springs, CO | 368 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet, overcast at 8,500 feet | from the west (270°) at 2 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 7,663 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| GUC Gunnison, CO | 427 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line | VFR | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,679 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| AEJ Buena Vista, CO | 467 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, scattered clouds at 8,500 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,950 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| BJC Denver, CO | 547 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 7 mi | none | 5,673 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,020 ft | 1:56 am MDT (07:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,950 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FNL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:04 am MDT (11:04 UTC)
FNL has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for TUS, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am MST (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8911 DENVER, CO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 18 nm from the route, at the destination end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at TUS 5:53 pm MST (00:53 UTC), at FNL 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at FNL is before sunrise there (7:07 am MDT (13:07 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: Tucson International, Northern Colorado Regional.