Williston Basin International to Denver International XWA → DEN
506 nautical miles (582 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 185°, about 177° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (5,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now XWA is IFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 14 knots; DEN is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 17 knots, gusting to 23. 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: 2,710 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
- SIGMET W70W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm CDT (01:55 UTC). Near the route, 367 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112355 MKCW WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 70W VALID UNTIL 0155Z MT WY FROM 30SSW MLS-60WNW BFF-40SSE OCS-10S BPI-10S BIL-30SSW MLS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL320.
- AIRMET ZULU 4C: moderate icing up to 20,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- 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 route from 20 to 198 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 79 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
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (DIK, RAP, BFF, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 120° at 18 kt | +7 kt | 9 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 29 min | 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 160° at 18 kt | +17 kt | 10 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 55 min | 11:26 pm MDT (05:26 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 190° at 24 kt | +24 kt | 9 °C | 96 kt | 5 h 16 min | 11:47 pm MDT (05:47 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 27 kt | +23 kt | 6 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 13 min | 11:44 pm MDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +23 kt | 2 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 13 min | 11:44 pm MDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | +23 kt | -3 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 13 min | 11:44 pm MDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 35 kt | +23 kt | -8 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 13 min | 11:44 pm MDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 36 kt | +23 kt | -9 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 13 min | 11:44 pm MDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 45 kt | +26 kt | -21 °C | 94 kt | 5 h 23 min | 11:54 pm MDT (05:54 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 52 kt | +34 kt | -36 °C | 86 kt | 5 h 53 min | 12:24 am MDT (06:24 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 56 kt | +28 kt | -42 °C | 92 kt | 5 h 30 min | 12:01 am MDT (06:01 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 57 kt | +23 kt | -48 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 13 min | 11:44 pm MDT (05:44 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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; 75 nm from the line | 110/15 6° | 200/17 5° | 230/31 1° | 240/47 -10° | 240/52 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 240/57 -45° | 250/67 -51° | |
| RAP | used from 149 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 120/15 12° | 180/22 11° | 220/26 5° | 230/35 -9° | 240/40 -22° | 240/50 -37° | 240/51 -41° | 240/47 -47° | |
| BFF | used from 298 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 120/24 | 180/31 13° | 210/26 7° | 230/25 -7° | 240/41 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 250/56 -41° | 260/57 -45° | |
| DEN | used from 446 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 190/31 16° | 210/32 7° | 240/41 -8° | 230/47 -21° | 240/56 -32° | 250/65 -37° | 250/61 -47° |
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: overcast at 800 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (040°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 2,356 ft | 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) |
| SDY Sidney, MT | 30 nm out, 16 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (050°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 1,985 ft | 23:56 UTC |
| BHK Baker, MT | 119 nm out, 12 nm west of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the east-northeast (070°) at 13 knots | 6 mi | 600 ft | 2,980 ft | 23:51 UTC |
| EFC Belle Fourche, SD | 208 nm out, 13 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,190 ft | ||||
| ECS Newcastle, WY | 268 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 11,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 4,177 ft | 00:15 UTC |
| LSK Lusk, WY | 327 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,966 ft | ||||
| GUR Guernsey, WY | 367 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 15 knots, gusting to 20 | 8 mi | none | 4,401 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| CYS Cheyenne, WY | 426 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,159 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO | 476 nm out, 19 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,020 ft | 23:56 UTC |
| DEN Denver, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet, a few clouds at 16,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 17 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | 22,000 ft | 5,433 ft | 5:53 pm MDT (23:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,159 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 14,000 feet, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DEN
- From Sun 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 14,000 feet and more above
- From Sun 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 14,000 feet, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am MDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for XWA, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) and 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 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 7:12 pm CDT (00:12 UTC), at DEN 6:24 pm MDT (00:24 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm MDT (00:51 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DEN is after sunset there (6:25 pm MDT (00:25 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, Denver International.