Williston Basin International to Rhinelander/Oneida County XWA → RHI
605 nautical miles (697 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 100°, about 092° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 58-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:41 am CDT (09:41 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now XWA is low IFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 14 knots; RHI is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 8 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 first 387 nm of the route.
- 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 last 30 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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (MOT, GFK, AXN, DLH, GRB). 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 | 080° at 16 kt | +14 kt | 106 kt | 5 h 42 min | 6:59 am CDT (11:59 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 160° at 6 kt | +3 kt | 5 °C | 117 kt | 5 h 10 min | 6:27 am CDT (11:27 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 12 kt | −6 kt | 8 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 48 min | 6:05 am CDT (11:05 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | −13 kt | 6 °C | 133 kt | 4 h 33 min | 5:50 am CDT (10:50 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −21 kt | 3 °C | 141 kt | 4 h 17 min | 5:34 am CDT (10:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 32 kt | −25 kt | -1 °C | 145 kt | 4 h 10 min | 5:27 am CDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 35 kt | −29 kt | -5 °C | 149 kt | 4 h 04 min | 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 37 kt | −32 kt | -10 °C | 152 kt | 3 h 59 min | 5:16 am CDT (10:16 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 38 kt | −33 kt | -11 °C | 153 kt | 3 h 57 min | 5:14 am CDT (10:14 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 43 kt | −40 kt | -21 °C | 160 kt | 3 h 47 min | 5:04 am CDT (10:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 47 kt | −40 kt | -36 °C | 160 kt | 3 h 47 min | 5:04 am CDT (10:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 47 kt | −41 kt | -46 °C | 161 kt | 3 h 45 min | 5:02 am CDT (10:02 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 63 kt | −58 kt | -52 °C | 178 kt | 3 h 24 min | 4:41 am CDT (09:41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT | used from 0 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 120/14 5° | 200/20 4° | 230/33 1° | 250/39 -11° | 250/50 -21° | 240/61 -37° | 250/56 -45° | 260/68 -51° | |
| GFK | used from 198 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 070/18 | 100/10 9° | 250/11 6° | 250/27 1° | 250/34 -10° | 260/43 -21° | 260/39 -36° | 260/36 -46° | 260/59 -53° |
| AXN | used from 347 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| DLH | used from 397 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 080/28 | 240/21 15° | 250/26 9° | 250/32 3° | 260/42 -11° | 270/40 -21° | 260/43 -36° | 260/46 -46° | 260/65 -54° |
| GRB | used from 595 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
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 | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (050°) at 14 knots | 9 mi | 300 ft | 2,356 ft | 1:03 am CDT (06:03 UTC) |
| MOT Minot, ND | 99 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 1,715 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| FAR Fargo, ND | 288 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the north (360°) at 12 knots | 3 mi | 300 ft | 901 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PKD Park Rapids, MN | 357 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 1,444 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PWC Pine River, MN | 387 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 12,000 feet | from the north (010°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 1,295 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| MZH Moose Lake, MN | 457 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the northeast (050°) at 6 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 1,076 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| HYR Hayward, WI | 516 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,215 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PKF Park Falls, WI | 566 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,501 ft | ||||
| RHI Rhinelander, WI | destination | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,623 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,356 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RHI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:41 am CDT (09:41 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, overcast at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RHI
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, overcast at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC) and 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): light rain showers, scattered clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the east at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 400 feet
The forecast for XWA, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 11 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 13 knots, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC) and 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, light rain snow, mist
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north at 11 knots, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 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 RHI 6:17 pm CDT (23:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RHI is before sunrise there (7:10 am CDT (12:10 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, Rhinelander/Oneida County.