What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Best time period to fly across the country

bpattonsoa

Well Known Member
I know there is no definite answer to the question of the best time to fly across the country. We have been trying for a couple of years to get to South Carolina from Oregon and back in the RV-10. Have done a bunch of long Xcountry in Calif, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah, but our very long trips always seem to run into weather.

In June we went to Rapid City and then Lincoln Nebraska, just about the time a hurricane showed up in Florida. Another trip was projected to be Ok, but the whole southeast disappeared under low clouds and tornados.

We are very flexible about routing and timing , but just don't seem to be able to pick the weather.

So what are the months with the best probability of getting coast to coast? I prefer to fly high, but also don't mind low. From my glider hours I have a healthy respect to red on the weather maps. The just completed Rans S-20 has made 1,500' a respectable altitude.
 
April just worked for me.

I left Perry GA KPXE last Saturday morning at 8:30am. Spent the nite in Pecos TX KPEQ. Leisure flight Sunday so SoCal could go VFR at 2pm. Landed at Cable airport KCCB in Upland at 4:00. Just gotta watch the weather and fly accordingly.
 
There is no magic answer to your question. When I fly cross-country I?m prepared to put the plane in a hanger and rent a car to explore the area any time the weather becomes a problem. I could care less if my stay becomes 2, 3, or 4 days. There is a lot to see in this beautiful land of ours. I seek out aviation museums, builders, and antique stores. More than enough to keep me and my wife busy.

Be safe.
 
ditto Vlad

What Vlad said. The meteorological data are easy enough to get, it would make an interesting study to ask what time period yields the highest portion of VFR weather across the country. I'm pretty confident the answer is going to be September. Anecdotally, I've done a September coast-to-coast trip and experienced stable and generally dry weather patterns (it was actually six weeks of travel, late August into early October).
 
Vlad nailed it.

The only issue with pushing the end of that time period is that the days get a bit short. Earlier gives you longer days. And for that matter, often enough late August, it's not bad either.

Dave
 
Giving It A Try May-June

Going to give it a try later this month. Be heading South to Idaho then going to hit the East Coast, visiting KFFA, and a few stops to visit North East RV'ators.

Hope you enjoy your flight when you go!

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
My son and I did our 48 states in 7 days trip the last week of May last year and did it 100% VFR. We changed our planned stops in about 6 states for weather but were still able to find VMC in other parts of the states. If you?re flexible with your route, late May worked well for us. ADSB weather helped a lot too.
 
So what are the months with the best probability of getting coast to coast? I prefer to fly high, but also don't mind low. From my glider hours I have a healthy respect to red on the weather maps. The just completed Rans S-20 has made 1,500' a respectable altitude.

Fall/winter has the best weather, typically. After the hurricane season has ended.

Summer weather has a lot of small storms that pop up but they are usually short lived (hours). Spring, at least this one, has the worst weather for this area.
 
Alabama/Mississippi/SE Louisiana Gulf Coast

We typically have an afternoon shower for about an hour starting at 2 during the summer. Otherwise, it is frequently quite beautiful.

If you come to Mobile, AL, stay with us. We don't live on an airport and have no hangar, but you are welcome if you can handle 3 loud boys!

Best regards,
Mike
 
Last edited:
On my long cross-countries from Maryland to the Rockies and beyond, I've had good luck with June, although no problems in July or August either. On one trip in early October, I was surprised how good the wx was. It seems like the bad weather on most of my trips was always east of the Mississippi, and especially over the Appalachians! You just gotta be flexible. The long-countries are always an adventure! And well worth doing.
 
My son and I did our 48 states in 7 days trip the last week of May last year and did it 100% VFR. We changed our planned stops in about 6 states for weather but were still able to find VMC in other parts of the states. If you’re flexible with your route, late May worked well for us. ADSB weather helped a lot too.

We flew from Melbourne Florida to Oregon last May all VFR with some VFR on Top over Georgia. Was not much of an issue.
Am planning on a July 16th Trip from Eastern Washington to Chicago, NH, and Martha's Vineyard and then back.
 
Roouting

So much depends on the planned routing. I see very little emphasis on surface temperatures(density altitude) and surface winds.
It the lower elevations in the Desert SW the extreme heat can start very early in the year. The record high temperature in Lake Havasu City occurred in early June. The triple digit temperatures will last well into Oct. A combination of 110-120 degree temperature with very strong surface winds is a no go situation, From mid July to Oct. the nighttime low temperatures may be 100 degrees.
In Flagstaff AZ the mid day density altitude will be 10000' plus from Early July until at least early Sep. Combine the density altitude with strong surface winds and moderate or greater turbulence and you have a situation well beyond the capability of most small airplanes. In the higher elevations the very early morning temperatures will be reasonable, but this can frequently mean a dawn takeoff and just one leg unless you can reach the lower terrain for the next stop.
The routes further north are frequently the way to go. The Interstate 80 area is much more manageable than anything further south. It is still best to be airborne at sunrise and quit for the day by 1100. The far south routing via Phoenix and El Paso is manageable most of the summer except for periods of strong surface winds.
 
You said it

It seems like the bad weather on most of my trips was always east of the Mississippi, and especially over the Appalachians!

As Ernest Gann pointed out years ago, the Appalachians are surprisingly effective producers of bad weather. Usually nothing like the towering t-storms (and worse!) of the great plains, of course, but they can throw up a respectable and lengthy curtain of convection, icing, IMC, etc.

They usually present a hassle of some sort when we fly to and from OSH. Avoiding summer afternoons over West Virginia can be particularly important.
 
Back
Top