Plan a flight · Mon 3:01 am CDT (08:01 UTC)

Central IL Rgnl/Bloomington-Normal Airport to Sacramento International BMI → SMF

1,507 nautical miles (1,734 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 277°, about 280° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 3:22 pm PDT (22:22 UTC). Right now BMI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots; SMF is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots. 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: 2 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 3W: 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 80 to 579 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the route from 669 to 1038 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 679 to 1178 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 719 to 888 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 778 to 1297 nm out.
AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 798 to 1317 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 130 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 BMI.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B737 at 18,000 ft, 12 nm south, 2:24 am CDT (07:24 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: FL180-130. 739 nm along the route, 12 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN330050/TM 0724/FL180/TP B737/TB MOD/RM FL180-130
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
50 nm northwest (330°) of DEN
Time
07:24 UTC
Height
at 18,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
moderate
Remarks
FL180-130
B739 at 35,000 ft, 48 nm northeast, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. At the departure end, 48 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
23 nm north (010°) of RBS
Time
07:05 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B739
Turbulence
none

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 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 14 forecast points nearest it (SPI, BRL, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, BFF, DEN, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, 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	230° at 22 kt	+16 kt	21 °C	104 kt	14 h 29 min	3:30 pm PDT (22:30 UTC)
6,500 ft	230° at 20 kt	+16 kt	16 °C	104 kt	14 h 29 min	3:30 pm PDT (22:30 UTC)
8,500 ft	230° at 20 kt	+15 kt	9 °C	105 kt	14 h 21 min	3:22 pm PDT (22:22 UTC)
10,500 ft	230° at 21 kt	+16 kt	5 °C	104 kt	14 h 29 min	3:30 pm PDT (22:30 UTC)
12,500 ft	230° at 23 kt	+18 kt	1 °C	102 kt	14 h 46 min	3:47 pm PDT (22:47 UTC)
14,500 ft	230° at 25 kt	+20 kt	-4 °C	100 kt	15 h 04 min	4:05 pm PDT (23:05 UTC)
16,500 ft	230° at 28 kt	+22 kt	-8 °C	98 kt	15 h 23 min	4:24 pm PDT (23:24 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	230° at 30 kt	+24 kt	-11 °C	96 kt	15 h 42 min	4:43 pm PDT (23:43 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 36 kt	+28 kt	-22 °C	92 kt	16 h 23 min	5:24 pm PDT (00:24 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	230° at 45 kt	+38 kt	-31 °C	82 kt	18 h 23 min	7:24 pm PDT (02:24 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	240° at 52 kt	+47 kt	-36 °C	73 kt	20 h 39 min	9:40 pm PDT (04:40 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	250° at 51 kt	+50 kt	-46 °C	70 kt	21 h 32 min	10:33 pm PDT (05:33 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
SPI	used from 0 nm out; 42 nm from the line	220/21	250/23 16°	260/27 9°	270/14 6°	270/23 -7°	270/31 -19°	270/28 -33°	290/48 -42°	300/55 -52°
BRL	used from 50 nm out; 28 nm from the line	230/24	240/29 15°	290/16 10°	280/15 4°	260/23 -7°	260/32 -19°	260/36 -33°	280/48 -41°	280/59 -52°
DSM	used from 150 nm out; 63 nm from the line	230/40	250/33 17°	250/18 12°	240/17 5°	260/28 -8°	270/34 -19°	260/41 -33°	260/55 -41°	270/62 -51°
OMA	used from 250 nm out; 52 nm from the line	220/47	240/33 19°	250/18 11°	230/17 6°	260/29 -8°	250/33 -19°	250/51 -33°	260/61 -40°	270/62 -49°
GRI	used from 349 nm out; 54 nm from the line		230/35 21°	230/23 13°	220/20 7°	240/25 -8°	240/37 -20°	250/49 -33°	260/57 -38°	260/58 -47°
GLD	used from 549 nm out; 92 nm from the line		230/49	230/42 15°	220/26 8°	240/18 -7°	230/27 -21°	240/62 -30°	240/61 -35°	250/57 -47°
BFF	used from 599 nm out; 75 nm from the line		180/28	220/33 15°	210/31 7°	230/32 -9°	220/41 -21°	220/40 -33°	240/47 -36°	250/54 -46°
DEN	used from 699 nm out; 56 nm from the line			240/21 14°	250/44 6°	220/49 -8°	220/49 -21°	230/54 -30°	240/57 -35°	240/49 -45°
RKS	used from 798 nm out; 109 nm from the line			200/41	220/44 1°	220/35 -11°	220/46 -24°	210/53 -27°	220/62 -35°	230/61 -44°
SLC	used from 948 nm out; 82 nm from the line		200/5	230/8 2°	220/20 -2°	210/40 -12°	190/53 -25°	210/62 -30°	220/69 -34°	220/64 -43°
ELY	used from 1098 nm out; 76 nm from the line			200/39 3°	210/27 -2°	210/45 -15°	220/56 -24°	210/60 -28°	210/63 -34°	220/61 -43°
BAM	used from 1248 nm out; 62 nm from the line			310/7 0°	270/19 -7°	200/38 -17°	190/49 -28°	220/69 -29°	220/63 -33°	230/48 -41°
RNO	used from 1347 nm out; 49 nm from the line		010/9	320/10 -2°	210/23 -9°	210/34 -19°	220/36 -25°	230/31 -29°	230/41 -33°	230/38 -42°
SAC	used from 1447 nm out; 35 nm from the line	110/6	L/V 4°	010/11 -2°	350/11 -7°	340/24 -16°	360/44 -23°	330/24 -30°	270/21 -35°	230/23 -43°

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
BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL	departure	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	871 ft	2:56 am CDT (07:56 UTC)
PIA Peoria, IL	40 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	660 ft	07:54 UTC
TVK Centerville, IA	180 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,023 ft	07:55 UTC
LNK Lincoln, NE	359 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 12 knots	10+ mi	none	1,218 ft	07:54 UTC
GTE Gothenburg, NE	509 nm out, 3 nm west of the line	no report just now				2,558 ft
FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO	739 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	5,020 ft	07:56 UTC
CAG Craig, CO	848 nm out, 7 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 11 knots, gusting to 18	10+ mi	9,000 ft	6,197 ft	07:53 UTC
PVU Provo, UT	1038 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,500 feet, overcast at 12,000 feet	from the east (090°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	7,500 ft	4,496 ft	07:56 UTC
TMT Austin, NV	1297 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,300 feet, a broken layer at 6,500 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet	from the east-northeast (070°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	6,500 ft	5,735 ft	07:55 UTC
TRK Truckee, CA	1437 nm out, 21 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-southwest (250°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	5,904 ft	07:35 UTC
SMF Sacramento, CA	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet	from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	26 ft	12:53 am PDT (07:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,197 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, 3:22 pm PDT (22:22 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 BMI, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies

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 14 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at BMI 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 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

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Central IL Rgnl/Bloomington-Normal Airport, Sacramento International.