The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 8:27 pm EDT (00:27 UTC)

Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International to Sacramento International ATL → SMF

1,814 nautical miles (2,088 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 290°, about 295° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 16 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 9:39 am PDT (16:39 UTC). 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: 1,992 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 W68W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 997 to 1276 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 68W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    CO NM AZ UT
    FROM 30W CHE-20NNW TBE-60SE ABQ-40N SJN-30SW MTU-30W CHE
    AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
  • SIGMET W71W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 27,000 ft, moving from the south at 40 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Near the route, 1405 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 71W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    WY UT ID
    FROM 40S DBS-40WNW BPI-30WSW MTU-30SSW DTA-30SE TWF-40S DBS
    AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 20040KT. TOPS TO FL270.
  • SIGMET W72W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 1595 to 1645 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 72W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    NV
    FROM 60SSW BAM-60W ELY-OAL-40WNW OAL-60SSW BAM
    AREA TS MOV FROM 23020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure end.
  • AIRMET TANGO 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 80 to 179 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 977 to 1485 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 1047 to 1555 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1106 to 1555 nm out.
  • 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 1126 to 1346 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 1236 to 1246 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 1266 to 1615 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). Over the route from 1346 to 1376 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 1515 to 1734 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 ATL.

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 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 18 forecast points nearest it (ATL, BHM, HSV, MEM, LIT, FSM, TUL, ICT, GAG, GCK, PUB, ALS, GJT, BCE, ELY, BIH, RNO, SAC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft230° at 13 kt+8 kt20 °C112 kt16 h 12 min9:39 am PDT (16:39 UTC)
6,500 ft250° at 13 kt+11 kt15 °C109 kt16 h 39 min10:06 am PDT (17:06 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 18 kt+15 kt12 °C105 kt17 h 17 min10:44 am PDT (17:44 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 22 kt+17 kt6 °C103 kt17 h 37 min11:04 am PDT (18:04 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 23 kt+19 kt3 °C101 kt17 h 58 min11:25 am PDT (18:25 UTC)
14,500 ft240° at 24 kt+20 kt-2 °C100 kt18 h 08 min11:35 am PDT (18:35 UTC)
16,500 ft240° at 26 kt+22 kt-6 °C98 kt18 h 31 min11:58 am PDT (18:58 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 28 kt+23 kt-9 °C97 kt18 h 42 min12:09 pm PDT (19:09 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 29 kt+25 kt-20 °C95 kt19 h 06 min12:33 pm PDT (19:33 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 43 kt+40 kt-30 °C80 kt22 h 40 min4:07 pm PDT (23:07 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 44 kt+42 kt-38 °C78 kt23 h 15 min4:42 pm PDT (23:42 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 42 kt+41 kt-48 °C79 kt22 h 58 min4:25 pm PDT (23:25 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
ATLused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line300/23320/26 14°320/34 10°320/41 5°290/32 -6°290/31 -18°280/28 -33°260/32 -41°250/28 -50°
BHMused from 50 nm out; 55 nm from the line300/16330/32 16°320/37 11°330/37 6°310/33 -7°310/30 -18°320/40 -34°330/43 -41°330/30 -49°
HSVused from 100 nm out; 18 nm from the line290/15330/34 16°330/38 11°330/40 5°320/36 -7°320/31 -18°320/44 -34°330/53 -41°330/34 -48°
MEMused from 199 nm out; 64 nm from the line240/9280/14 17°280/20 12°290/25 5°320/25 -6°330/31 -18°320/52 -32°330/58 -41°320/42 -50°
LITused from 349 nm out; 61 nm from the line220/12250/12 17°250/18 12°260/22 6°310/14 -5°310/25 -17°310/40 -31°310/38 -41°310/46 -52°
FSMused from 449 nm out; 58 nm from the line200/18210/19 15°230/22 13°250/18 7°270/20 -5°280/24 -16°280/35 -30°290/37 -40°300/40 -52°
TULused from 548 nm out; 23 nm from the line200/27210/28 15°240/24 13°250/19 8°250/28 -6°260/25 -16°270/34 -30°280/41 -39°280/41 -52°
ICTused from 648 nm out; 48 nm from the line190/34210/34 18°240/28 13°260/23 7°250/23 -6°240/29 -17°260/40 -30°260/47 -40°270/42 -51°
GAGused from 748 nm out; 56 nm from the line190/34 19°240/27 14°240/26 8°240/24 -6°240/29 -16°250/50 -28°250/50 -39°260/46 -50°
GCKused from 797 nm out; 33 nm from the line200/35 21°220/34 14°240/30 8°240/27 -6°240/31 -17°240/53 -30°250/55 -39°250/60 -50°
PUBused from 897 nm out; 93 nm from the line210/24 16°210/28 8°230/43 -8°240/42 -21°240/77 -30°240/72 -36°250/51 -47°
ALSused from 1047 nm out; 38 nm from the line210/32 5°230/48 -8°230/49 -20°230/78 -30°240/74 -36°240/61 -47°
GJTused from 1146 nm out; 59 nm from the line210/40 11°210/46 3°210/61 -10°210/68 -22°220/57 -29°230/59 -36°240/66 -46°
BCEused from 1296 nm out; 70 nm from the line210/47 0°200/50 -12°220/31 -23°220/56 -26°220/58 -35°230/58 -45°
ELYused from 1445 nm out; 47 nm from the line210/20 4°240/21 -1°230/37 -13°200/58 -25°220/73 -27°220/73 -36°220/69 -44°
BIHused from 1595 nm out; 93 nm from the lineL/V210/14 6°210/20 -2°230/26 -14°220/32 -24°220/63 -27°220/56 -35°230/50 -44°
RNOused from 1645 nm out; 74 nm from the line320/7260/13 1°230/21 -7°210/38 -17°220/43 -26°230/54 -29°230/59 -32°230/54 -41°
SACused from 1744 nm out; 42 nm from the line270/5L/V 5°L/V -1°240/11 -5°250/22 -15°270/25 -24°260/31 -27°240/39 -33°240/39 -42°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
ATL Atlanta, GA departure no report just now 1,026 ft
HSV Huntsville, AL 130 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 628 ft
MEM Memphis, TN 289 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 340 ft
ASG Springdale, AR 498 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower no report just now 1,352 ft
TUL Tulsa, OK 588 nm out, 21 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 677 ft
MEJ Meade, KS 807 nm out, 3 nm south of the line no report just now 2,527 ft
PUB Pueblo, CO 1017 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 4,729 ft
AIB Nucla, CO 1206 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line no report just now 5,945 ft
HVE Hanksville, UT 1306 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line no report just now 4,453 ft
PVF Placerville, CA 1774 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line no report just now 2,585 ft
SMF Sacramento, CA destination no report just now 26 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,945 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, 9:39 am PDT (16:39 UTC)

SMF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

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

  • 6/8693 Atlanta, GA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZTL
  • 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
  • 6/6740 SACRAMENTO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 3 nm from the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · ended 11 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at ATL 7:07 pm EDT (23:07 UTC), at SMF 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm PDT (01:59 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 Southeast
Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Hartsfield/Jackson Atlanta International, Sacramento International.