Bismarck Municipal to San Francisco International BIS → SFO
1,103 nautical miles (1,269 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 248°, about 241° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, no wind along the track), arriving about 12:52 pm PDT (19:52 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 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 C16C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC). Near the route, at the departure end.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120955 MKCC WST 120955 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 16C VALID UNTIL 1155Z SD ND FROM BIS-60NNW ABR-40SSE DPR-50NNW DPR-BIS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
- SIGMET W19W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 29,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC). Over the route from 606 to 636 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120955 MKCW WST 120955 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 19W VALID UNTIL 1155Z UT ID NV FROM 30ESE TWF-10W MLD-20E BVL-40W BVL-30ESE TWF AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL290.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 616 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 199 to 795 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 298 to 755 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 248 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 983 to 1003 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 BIS.
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 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 9 forecast points nearest it (DIK, MLS, BIL, LND, PIH, BAM, RNO, SAC, SFO). 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 | 340° at 2 kt | 0 | 3 °C | 120 kt | 9 h 12 min | 12:52 pm PDT (19:52 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 2 kt | +1 kt | 3 °C | 119 kt | 9 h 16 min | 12:56 pm PDT (19:56 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 8 kt | +8 kt | 1 °C | 112 kt | 9 h 51 min | 1:31 pm PDT (20:31 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | +14 kt | -2 °C | 106 kt | 10 h 24 min | 2:04 pm PDT (21:04 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | +20 kt | -5 °C | 100 kt | 11 h 02 min | 2:42 pm PDT (21:42 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | +21 kt | -9 °C | 99 kt | 11 h 08 min | 2:48 pm PDT (21:48 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 24 kt | +22 kt | -12 °C | 98 kt | 11 h 15 min | 2:55 pm PDT (21:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 26 kt | +24 kt | -15 °C | 96 kt | 11 h 29 min | 3:09 pm PDT (22:09 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 24 kt | +22 kt | -25 °C | 98 kt | 11 h 15 min | 2:55 pm PDT (21:55 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 41 kt | +39 kt | -32 °C | 81 kt | 13 h 37 min | 5:17 pm PDT (00:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 48 kt | +46 kt | -37 °C | 74 kt | 14 h 54 min | 6:34 pm PDT (01:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 51 kt | +50 kt | -44 °C | 70 kt | 15 h 45 min | 7:25 pm PDT (02:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIK | used from 0 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| MLS | used from 149 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 248 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| LND | used from 348 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 240/10 3° | 240/30 0° | 220/42 -13° | 230/52 -23° | 220/54 -33° | 220/52 -36° | 220/53 -44° | ||
| PIH | used from 447 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 070/8 | 150/19 1° | 180/32 -4° | 210/44 -17° | 210/37 -28° | 210/74 -31° | 220/68 -35° | 220/60 -43° | |
| BAM | used from 695 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 280/9 -2° | 260/18 -8° | 190/47 -19° | 200/50 -29° | 210/56 -29° | 220/54 -34° | 220/45 -42° | ||
| RNO | used from 844 nm out; 71 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 993 nm out; 26 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° |
| SFO | used from 1043 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 090/9 | 050/12 4° | 010/17 -2° | 350/34 -3° | 360/70 -11° | 360/75 -22° | 350/57 -38° | 330/37 -42° | 280/25 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIS Bismarck, ND | departure | no report just now | 1,661 ft | ||||
| BWW Bowman, ND | 109 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,965 ft | ||||
| SHR Sheridan, WY | 288 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 4,021 ft | ||||
| GEY Greybull, WY | 338 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,941 ft | ||||
| JAC Jackson, WY | 467 nm out, 13 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,451 ft | ||||
| PIH Pocatello, ID | 556 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,451 ft | ||||
| EKO Elko, NV | 745 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 5,139 ft | ||||
| BAM Battle Mountain, NV | 795 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 4,536 ft | ||||
| RNO Reno, NV | 934 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,414 ft | ||||
| CCR Concord, CA | 1073 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 25 ft | ||||
| SFO San Francisco, CA | destination | no report just now | 13 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,451 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:52 pm PDT (19:52 UTC)
SFO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at BIS 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC), at SFO 6:35 pm PDT (01:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm PDT (02:01 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: Bismarck Municipal, San Francisco International.