Plan a flight · Mon 1:12 am EDT (05:12 UTC)

Willow Run Airport to St. Cloud Sky Central Airport YIP → STC

496 nautical miles (571 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 297°, about 303° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now YIP is marginal VFR, wind calm; STC is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 4 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 119 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 route from 258 to 387 nm out.

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 YIP.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B739 descending, 8 nm east, 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 8 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 ft
B738 at 1,300 ft, 41 nm south, 12:45 am EDT (04:45 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 41 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0445/FL013/TP B738/SK OVC013-TOP030/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
04:45 UTC
Height
at 1,300 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
A320 descending, 8 nm east, 11:27 pm EDT (03:27 UTC): overcast above 1,400 ft. At the departure end, 8 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0327/FLDURD/TP A320/SK 014 OVC
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
03:27 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A320
Sky
at 1,400 ft overcast
PA44 descending, 41 nm south, 10:27 pm EDT (02:27 UTC): a broken layer from 900 ft to 1,500 ft; a broken layer from 2,600 ft to 3,500 ft, fog. At the departure end, 41 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV TOL/TM 0227/FLDURD/TP PA44/SK BKN009 TOPS015 BKN026 TOPS035/WX FG
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over TOL
Time
02:27 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
PA44
Sky
BKN009 TOPS015 BKN026 TOPS035
Weather
fog
C560 at 3,000 ft, 25 nm northeast, 10:28 pm EDT (02:28 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PTK UA /OV 6 W/TM 0228/FL030/TP C560/SK BASES 019 TOPS 030 OVC
```
Report
a routine report filed through PTK
Where
6 west
Time
02:28 UTC
Height
at 3,000 ft
Aircraft
C560
Sky
bases 1,900 ft tops 3,000 ft overcast
C25B at 2,000 ft, 25 nm northeast, 10:18 pm EDT (02:18 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PTK UA /OV 2 W/TM 0218/FL020/TP C25B/SK BASES 020 OVC
```
Report
a routine report filed through PTK
Where
2 west
Time
02:18 UTC
Height
at 2,000 ft
Aircraft
C25B
Sky
bases 2,000 ft overcast

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 5 forecast points nearest it (FWA, MKG, GRB, LSE, MSP). 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	250° at 23 kt	+18 kt		102 kt	4 h 52 min	5:04 am CDT (10:04 UTC)
6,500 ft	260° at 19 kt	+17 kt	15 °C	103 kt	4 h 49 min	5:01 am CDT (10:01 UTC)
8,500 ft	270° at 14 kt	+13 kt	11 °C	107 kt	4 h 38 min	4:50 am CDT (09:50 UTC)
10,500 ft	260° at 12 kt	+11 kt	7 °C	109 kt	4 h 33 min	4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC)
12,500 ft	260° at 13 kt	+11 kt	3 °C	109 kt	4 h 33 min	4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC)
14,500 ft	270° at 17 kt	+16 kt	-1 °C	104 kt	4 h 46 min	4:58 am CDT (09:58 UTC)
16,500 ft	280° at 22 kt	+21 kt	-6 °C	99 kt	5 h 01 min	5:13 am CDT (10:13 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 25 kt	+25 kt	-9 °C	95 kt	5 h 13 min	5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 29 kt	+29 kt	-20 °C	91 kt	5 h 27 min	5:39 am CDT (10:39 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	290° at 37 kt	+38 kt	-36 °C	82 kt	6 h 03 min	6:15 am CDT (11:15 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 46 kt	+47 kt	-45 °C	73 kt	6 h 48 min	7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 62 kt	+62 kt	-53 °C	58 kt	8 h 33 min	8:45 am CDT (13:45 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
FWA	used from 0 nm out; 101 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°
MKG	used from 50 nm out; 57 nm from the line	260/22	290/16 15°	300/11 10°	290/5 3°	300/26 -9°	300/32 -20°	320/48 -36°	320/61 -45°	310/74 -53°
GRB	used from 199 nm out; 38 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°
LSE	used from 298 nm out; 57 nm from the line	230/40	240/24 17°	240/13 10°	250/13 6°	280/22 -9°	250/28 -21°	250/41 -34°	260/42 -44°	270/62 -53°
MSP	used from 397 nm out; 37 nm from the line	230/26	240/30 17°	240/24 12°	250/22 5°	250/35 -10°	260/36 -21°	250/41 -36°	250/49 -45°	260/58 -52°

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
YIP Detroit, MI	departure	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet	calm	10+ mi	1,200 ft	715 ft	12:53 am EDT (04:53 UTC)
JXN Jackson, MI	40 nm out, 18 nm south of the line, tower	IFR Weather: mist	from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots	1.5 mi	none	1,000 ft	05:04 UTC
GRR Grand Rapids, MI	99 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower	VFR Weather: mist	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	6 mi	none	793 ft	04:53 UTC
MKG Muskegon, MI	129 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower	reported, no category	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	628 ft	04:55 UTC
OSH Oshkosh, WI	248 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	808 ft	04:53 UTC
PCZ Waupaca, WI	268 nm out, 11 nm north of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	840 ft	04:55 UTC
CWA Mosinee, WI	308 nm out, 25 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,277 ft	04:55 UTC
EAU Eau Claire, WI	377 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	913 ft	04:56 UTC
RNH New Richmond, WI	427 nm out, 1 nm west of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	997 ft	04:55 UTC
ANE Minneapolis, MN	457 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots	9 mi	20,000 ft	912 ft	04:55 UTC
STC St Cloud, MN	destination	VFR	from the north-northwest (340°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	1,030 ft	11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,277 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At STC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC)

Wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for STC

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 15,000 feet

The forecast for YIP, the departure

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,400 feet
From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 400 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 10 nm from the route, 467 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP

Daylight

Sunset at YIP 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC), at STC 6:36 pm CDT (23:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at STC is before sunrise there (7:28 am CDT (12:28 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

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Willow Run Airport, St. Cloud Sky Central Airport.