Albuquerque International Sunport to Sacramento International ABQ → SMF
751 nautical miles (865 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 291°, about 280° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot headwind), arriving about 9:24 am PDT (16:24 UTC). Right now ABQ is VFR, wind calm; SMF is VFR, wind calm. 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: 4 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 TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the first 316 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 89 to 198 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Near the route, 109 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 129 to 534 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 198 to 435 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 287 nm along the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 356 to 415 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 119 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 ABQ.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A35K at 32,000 ft, 44 nm southwest, 2:39 am MDT (08:39 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: fdcs zoa. At the destination end, 44 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
OAK UA /OV OAK348024/TM 0839/FL320/TP A35K/TB MOD CHOP/RM FDCS ZOA
- Report
- a routine report filed through OAK
- Where
- 24 nm north (348°) of OAK
- Time
- 08:39 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A35K
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- fdcs zoa
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 7 forecast points nearest it (ABQ, FMN, BCE, LAS, BIH, RNO, SAC). 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 | 210° at 7 kt | +2 kt | 8 °C | 118 kt | 6 h 22 min | 9:24 am PDT (16:24 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 7 kt | +2 kt | 6 °C | 118 kt | 6 h 22 min | 9:24 am PDT (16:24 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 11 kt | +5 kt | 5 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 32 min | 9:34 am PDT (16:34 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | +4 kt | -1 °C | 116 kt | 6 h 28 min | 9:30 am PDT (16:30 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 210° at 24 kt | +5 kt | -4 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 32 min | 9:34 am PDT (16:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 210° at 28 kt | +7 kt | -8 °C | 113 kt | 6 h 39 min | 9:41 am PDT (16:41 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | +10 kt | -11 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 50 min | 9:52 am PDT (16:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 36 kt | +12 kt | -14 °C | 108 kt | 6 h 57 min | 9:59 am PDT (16:59 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 44 kt | +24 kt | -23 °C | 96 kt | 7 h 49 min | 10:51 am PDT (17:51 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 56 kt | +29 kt | -30 °C | 91 kt | 8 h 15 min | 11:17 am PDT (18:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 62 kt | +30 kt | -37 °C | 90 kt | 8 h 21 min | 11:23 am PDT (18:23 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 58 kt | +27 kt | -44 °C | 93 kt | 8 h 05 min | 11:07 am PDT (18:07 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABQ | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| FMN | used from 99 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 220/16 6° | 220/39 1° | 220/50 -10° | 230/67 -23° | 230/94 -29° | 230/102 -35° | 230/90 -46° | ||
| BCE | used from 198 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 200/32 -2° | 210/57 -15° | 220/71 -22° | 220/69 -30° | 220/64 -38° | 220/67 -44° | |||
| LAS | used from 346 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| BIH | used from 494 nm out; 78 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 0° | 140/7 -7° | 210/31 -16° | 230/34 -26° | 220/43 -30° | 220/52 -36° | 220/46 -43° | |
| RNO | used from 643 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 010/6 | 270/12 -3° | 220/26 -10° | 280/13 -19° | 350/44 -24° | 320/30 -32° | 260/22 -36° | 240/24 -42° | |
| SAC | used from 692 nm out; 29 nm from the line | L/V | L/V 4° | 340/9 -4° | 340/22 -8° | 360/71 -12° | 360/82 -23° | 350/58 -37° | 310/30 -40° | 270/25 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 3:52 am MDT (09:52 UTC) |
| GNT Grants, NM | 59 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,536 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| RQE Window Rock, AZ | 129 nm out, 9 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,900 feet | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 2,900 ft | 6,742 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| SGU St George, UT | 356 nm out, 2 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,500 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 2,883 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| TPH Tonopah, NV | 534 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the east (090°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 5,430 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| HTH Hawthorne, NV | 613 nm out, 23 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,500 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,230 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| MHR Sacramento, CA | 732 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 98 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 2:53 am PDT (09:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,742 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SMF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:24 am PDT (16:24 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SMF
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for ABQ, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at ABQ 6:34 pm MDT (00:34 UTC), at SMF 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 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: Albuquerque International Sunport, Sacramento International.