Waukegan Ntl Airport to Palm Springs International UGN → PSP
1,439 nautical miles (1,656 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 259°, about 262° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 23-knot headwind), arriving about 2:06 pm PDT (21:06 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 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 110 to 710 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 710 to 1269 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 720 to 900 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 800 to 929 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 520 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1079 to 1309 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 1169 to 1219 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the last 70 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 UGN.
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 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 13 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, PUB, ALS, FMN, BCE, PRC, BLH, ONT). 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 | 230° at 34 kt | +32 kt | 21 °C | 88 kt | 16 h 21 min | 3:37 pm PDT (22:37 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | +30 kt | 15 °C | 90 kt | 15 h 59 min | 3:15 pm PDT (22:15 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +24 kt | 10 °C | 96 kt | 14 h 59 min | 2:15 pm PDT (21:15 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +23 kt | 7 °C | 97 kt | 14 h 50 min | 2:06 pm PDT (21:06 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | +24 kt | 3 °C | 96 kt | 14 h 59 min | 2:15 pm PDT (21:15 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | +27 kt | -1 °C | 93 kt | 15 h 28 min | 2:44 pm PDT (21:44 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | +31 kt | -5 °C | 89 kt | 16 h 10 min | 3:26 pm PDT (22:26 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 34 kt | +33 kt | -9 °C | 87 kt | 16 h 32 min | 3:48 pm PDT (22:48 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 42 kt | +41 kt | -20 °C | 79 kt | 18 h 13 min | 5:29 pm PDT (00:29 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 59 kt | +59 kt | -30 °C | 61 kt | 23 h 35 min | 10:51 pm PDT (05:51 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 65 kt | +66 kt | -37 °C | 54 kt | 26 h 39 min | 1:55 am PDT (08:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 59 kt | +61 kt | -47 °C | 59 kt | 24 h 23 min | 11:39 pm PDT (06:39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 50 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° |
| DBQ | used from 50 nm out; 55 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° |
| DSM | used from 200 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| OMA | used from 300 nm out; 46 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 400 nm out; 62 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° | |
| GLD | used from 550 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| PUB | used from 750 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| ALS | used from 850 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| FMN | used from 949 nm out; 38 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° | ||
| BCE | used from 1099 nm out; 106 nm from the line | 220/27 -1° | 210/40 -13° | 220/54 -21° | 220/64 -30° | 220/64 -34° | 220/52 -44° | |||
| PRC | used from 1149 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| BLH | used from 1299 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 210/13 | 200/21 11° | 200/22 5° | 210/25 -1° | 210/51 -10° | 220/61 -20° | 220/81 -29° | 220/92 -34° | 220/79 -45° |
| ONT | used from 1399 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 190/8 | 190/19 6° | 210/23 4° | 210/29 -3° | 210/47 -13° | 210/49 -19° | 220/47 -30° | 220/50 -36° | 220/55 -43° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | departure | no report just now | 728 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 60 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 170 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 410 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,218 ft | ||||
| FMZ Fairmont, NE | 450 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,636 ft | ||||
| ITR Burlington, CO | 680 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | no report just now | 4,218 ft | ||||
| PUB Pueblo, CO | 800 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,729 ft | ||||
| CEZ Cortez, CO | 999 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 5,917 ft | ||||
| GCN Grand Canyon, AZ | 1189 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,608 ft | ||||
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | 1319 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 707 ft | ||||
| PSP Palm Springs, CA | destination | no report just now | 476 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 PSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:06 pm PDT (21:06 UTC)
PSP has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, 1319 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8887 Indio, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 12 October · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at UGN 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at PSP 6:16 pm PDT (01:16 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:41 pm PDT (01:41 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: Waukegan Ntl Airport, Palm Springs International.