Meadows Field to Valley International BFL → HRL
1,230 nautical miles (1,416 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 111°, about 097° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 43 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 21-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:25 am CDT (11:25 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 3 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
- SIGMET 7W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm PDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 476 to 576 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7W VALID UNTIL 0355Z NM AZ FROM 30NW SJN-30W TCS-60SE SSO-50SE TUS-70S INW-30NW SJN DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 40 to 218 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 6E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 69 to 69 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 119 to 198 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 367 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 447 to 516 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 476 to 576 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 BFL.
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 10 forecast points nearest it (WJF, ONT, BLH, PHX, TUS, ELP, MRF, DRT, LRD, BRO). 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 | 170° at 19 kt | +12 kt | 108 kt | 11 h 23 min | 9:05 am CDT (14:05 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 16 kt | +3 kt | 10 °C | 117 kt | 10 h 31 min | 8:13 am CDT (13:13 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 200° at 18 kt | +2 kt | 12 °C | 118 kt | 10 h 25 min | 8:07 am CDT (13:07 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 200° at 20 kt | +2 kt | 10 °C | 118 kt | 10 h 25 min | 8:07 am CDT (13:07 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 200° at 21 kt | 0 | 6 °C | 120 kt | 10 h 15 min | 7:57 am CDT (12:57 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 210° at 24 kt | −2 kt | 2 °C | 122 kt | 10 h 05 min | 7:47 am CDT (12:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 210° at 29 kt | −4 kt | -2 °C | 124 kt | 9 h 55 min | 7:37 am CDT (12:37 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | −7 kt | -6 °C | 127 kt | 9 h 41 min | 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 34 kt | −8 kt | -7 °C | 128 kt | 9 h 37 min | 7:19 am CDT (12:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 41 kt | −12 kt | -16 °C | 132 kt | 9 h 19 min | 7:01 am CDT (12:01 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 47 kt | −15 kt | -28 °C | 135 kt | 9 h 07 min | 6:49 am CDT (11:49 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 46 kt | −20 kt | -37 °C | 140 kt | 8 h 47 min | 6:29 am CDT (11:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 39 kt | −21 kt | -48 °C | 141 kt | 8 h 43 min | 6:25 am CDT (11:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WJF | used from 0 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 200/28 6° | 210/28 3° | 210/29 -4° | 210/28 -14° | 220/41 -20° | 220/47 -29° | 220/46 -37° | 220/53 -44° | |
| ONT | used from 99 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 190/8 | 190/19 6° | 210/23 4° | 210/29 -3° | 210/47 -13° | 210/49 -19° | 220/47 -30° | 220/50 -36° | 220/55 -43° |
| BLH | used from 149 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 210/13 | 200/21 11° | 200/22 5° | 210/25 -1° | 210/51 -10° | 220/61 -20° | 220/81 -29° | 220/92 -34° | 220/79 -45° |
| PHX | used from 298 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 150/5 | 200/21 12° | 200/27 6° | 200/35 3° | 220/58 -8° | 220/69 -19° | 220/87 -26° | 230/93 -35° | 230/79 -47° |
| TUS | used from 397 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 210/13 13° | 200/35 9° | 210/40 5° | 220/50 -7° | 220/59 -18° | 230/79 -26° | 230/84 -35° | 230/84 -48° | |
| ELP | used from 546 nm out; 115 nm from the line | 290/17 | 210/11 13° | 200/18 5° | 220/46 -6° | 230/64 -14° | 230/63 -27° | 240/55 -37° | 240/44 -48° | |
| MRF | used from 744 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 210/17 15° | 220/10 9° | 240/16 -4° | 230/27 -13° | 230/30 -27° | 250/28 -38° | 270/24 -50° | ||
| DRT | used from 893 nm out; 98 nm from the line | 160/31 | 170/28 16° | 200/14 16° | 210/15 9° | 210/15 -4° | 240/12 -12° | 240/18 -28° | 300/11 -38° | 320/18 -50° |
| LRD | used from 1042 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 150/27 | 170/24 17° | 170/20 14° | 180/12 10° | 230/19 -4° | 160/10 -14° | 130/10 -28° | 110/7 -39° | 010/22 -51° |
| BRO | used from 1191 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 150/22 | 160/18 18° | 160/13 14° | 150/9 10° | 050/5 -3° | L/V -15° | 100/13 -29° | 120/15 -40° | 080/9 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | departure | no report just now | 509 ft | ||||
| MHV Mojave, CA | 50 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,801 ft | ||||
| TNP Twentynine Palms, CA | 169 nm out, 16 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,888 ft | ||||
| GYR Goodyear, AZ | 347 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 969 ft | ||||
| CHD Chandler, AZ | 377 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,243 ft | ||||
| PRS Presidio, TX | 824 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | no report just now | 2,938 ft | ||||
| LRD Laredo, TX | 1111 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 508 ft | ||||
| HRL Harlingen, TX | destination | no report just now | 36 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,938 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HRL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:25 am CDT (11:25 UTC)
HRL has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8783 38NM NE BAKERSFIELD, CA, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Friday, October 23, 2026 UTC 24 nm from the route, at the departure end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 23 October · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at BFL 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC), at HRL 7:05 pm CDT (00:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at HRL 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
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: Meadows Field, Valley International.