Williston Basin International to Casper/Natrona County International XWA → CPR
341 nautical miles (392 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 201°, about 193° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:35 am MDT (17:35 UTC). Right now XWA is IFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 8 knots; CPR is IFR, wind from the north (350°) at 9 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: 1 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the whole route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 10 to 117 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the last 10 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 XWA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- CRJ7 at 29,500 ft, 37 nm east, 7:45 am CDT (12:45 UTC): light chop turbulence. 68 nm along the route, 37 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
DIK UA /OV DIK270030/TM 1245/FL295/TP CRJ7/SK TOP 295/TB LGT CHOP/ZLC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DIK
- Where
- 30 nm west (270°) of DIK
- Time
- 12:45 UTC
- Height
- at 29,500 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Sky
- top 29,500 ft
- Turbulence
- light chop/zlc
- E175L at 10,000 ft, 10 nm southeast, 9:05 am CDT (14:05 UTC): overcast from 10,500 ft to 11,500 ft. At the destination end, 10 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CPR UA /OV CPR110010/TM 1405/FL100/TP E175L/SK OVC105-TOP115
- Report
- a routine report filed through CPR
- Where
- 10 nm east (110°) of CPR
- Time
- 14:05 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E175L
- Sky
- overcast from 10,500 ft, tops 11,500 ft
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (DIK, MLS, RAP, LND). 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 | 320° at 11 kt | −6 kt | 0 °C | 126 kt | 2 h 42 min | 11:35 am MDT (17:35 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 310° at 10 kt | −3 kt | 1 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 46 min | 11:39 am MDT (17:39 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | +8 kt | 2 °C | 112 kt | 3 h 03 min | 11:56 am MDT (17:56 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +12 kt | 1 °C | 108 kt | 3 h 09 min | 12:02 pm MDT (18:02 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +16 kt | -1 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 17 min | 12:10 pm MDT (18:10 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +20 kt | -5 °C | 100 kt | 3 h 25 min | 12:18 pm MDT (18:18 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +24 kt | -10 °C | 96 kt | 3 h 33 min | 12:26 pm MDT (18:26 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 29 kt | +26 kt | -13 °C | 94 kt | 3 h 38 min | 12:31 pm MDT (18:31 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 39 kt | +36 kt | -25 °C | 84 kt | 4 h 04 min | 12:57 pm MDT (18:57 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 49 kt | +41 kt | -34 °C | 79 kt | 4 h 19 min | 1:12 pm MDT (19:12 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 53 kt | +46 kt | -37 °C | 74 kt | 4 h 36 min | 1:29 pm MDT (19:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 56 kt | +47 kt | -44 °C | 73 kt | 4 h 40 min | 1:33 pm MDT (19:33 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIK | used from 0 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 330/11 1° | 230/20 4° | 220/22 0° | 230/29 -12° | 240/27 -25° | 240/40 -34° | 230/49 -37° | 240/55 -44° | |
| MLS | used from 97 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 320/9 -2° | 270/14 0° | 260/22 -1° | 220/30 -14° | 210/43 -26° | 230/53 -34° | 230/54 -38° | 230/59 -44° | |
| RAP | used from 244 nm out; 124 nm from the line | 310/18 6° | 270/15 6° | 260/20 2° | 240/28 -11° | 240/42 -23° | 240/47 -35° | 230/47 -36° | 240/56 -44° | |
| LND | used from 292 nm out; 111 nm from the line | 220/16 3° | 230/26 -1° | 210/30 -14° | 220/57 -26° | 220/60 -31° | 220/62 -38° | 220/52 -44° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XWA Williston, ND | departure | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 900 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the northeast (040°) at 8 knots | 3 mi | 600 ft | 2,356 ft | 9:51 am CDT (14:51 UTC) |
| SDY Sidney, MT | 39 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain | from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 1,985 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| GDV Glendive, MT | 78 nm out, 17 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (040°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 2,458 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| BHK Baker, MT | 117 nm out, 21 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 2,980 ft | 14:51 UTC |
| GCC Gillette, WY | 244 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet Weather: mist | from the west-northwest (300°) at 10 knots | 6 mi | 800 ft | 4,365 ft | 14:13 UTC |
| CPR Casper, WY | destination | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, a broken layer at 4,900 feet | from the north (350°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 5,344 ft | 7:53 am MDT (13:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,344 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CPR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:35 am MDT (17:35 UTC)
Wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet IFR
The whole forecast for CPR
- From Mon 8:00 am MDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet and more above
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet and more above
- 30% chance between Mon 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, rain, a broken layer at 1,200 feet
The forecast for XWA, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, light rain snow, mist
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 500 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at XWA 7:10 pm CDT (00:10 UTC), at CPR 6:26 pm MDT (00:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:55 pm MDT (00:55 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: Williston Basin International, Casper/Natrona County International.