Cleveland-Hopkins International to Sacramento International CLE → SMF
1,817 nautical miles (2,091 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 278°, about 286° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 16 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 4:33 pm PDT (23:33 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: 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 W15W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Over the route from 1458 to 1548 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120555 MKCW WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 15W VALID UNTIL 0755Z UT NV FROM 60WNW BVL-10NE BVL-80E OAL-40SE OAL-20W OAL-60WNW BVL AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 240 nm of the route.
- 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 379 to 949 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 789 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 939 to 1328 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 979 to 1478 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 1049 to 1218 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1108 to 1588 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1128 to 1618 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 1138 to 1218 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 100 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 CLE.
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 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 (CLE, FWA, JOT, DBQ, DSM, OMA, ONL, BFF, 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 17 kt | +13 kt | 20 °C | 107 kt | 16 h 59 min | 4:33 pm PDT (23:33 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +13 kt | 15 °C | 107 kt | 16 h 59 min | 4:33 pm PDT (23:33 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 16 kt | +14 kt | 9 °C | 106 kt | 17 h 08 min | 4:42 pm PDT (23:42 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 17 kt | +15 kt | 5 °C | 105 kt | 17 h 18 min | 4:52 pm PDT (23:52 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +16 kt | 1 °C | 104 kt | 17 h 28 min | 5:02 pm PDT (00:02 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | +19 kt | -3 °C | 101 kt | 17 h 59 min | 5:33 pm PDT (00:33 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +21 kt | -7 °C | 99 kt | 18 h 21 min | 5:55 pm PDT (00:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 24 kt | +23 kt | -11 °C | 97 kt | 18 h 44 min | 6:18 pm PDT (01:18 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 28 kt | +27 kt | -22 °C | 93 kt | 19 h 32 min | 7:06 pm PDT (02:06 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 35 kt | +35 kt | -32 °C | 85 kt | 21 h 23 min | 8:57 pm PDT (03:57 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 44 kt | +46 kt | -38 °C | 74 kt | 24 h 33 min | 12:07 am PDT (07:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 47 kt | +50 kt | -47 °C | 70 kt | 25 h 57 min | 1:31 am PDT (08:31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| FWA | used from 100 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| JOT | used from 200 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| DBQ | used from 350 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| DSM | used from 449 nm out; 64 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 599 nm out; 46 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° |
| ONL | used from 699 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| BFF | used from 849 nm out; 100 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° | |
| RKS | used from 1098 nm out; 99 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 1298 nm out; 34 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 1448 nm out; 60 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 1548 nm out; 48 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 1648 nm out; 54 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 1748 nm out; 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE Cleveland, OH | departure | no report just now | 799 ft | ||||
| TOL Toledo, OH | 90 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 683 ft | ||||
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 290 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 758 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 439 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 649 nm out, 21 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| TIF Thedford, NE | 839 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,925 ft | ||||
| LAR Laramie, WY | 1068 nm out, 11 nm south of the line | no report just now | 7,283 ft | ||||
| SAA Saratoga, WY | 1118 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 7,014 ft | ||||
| SLC Salt Lake City, UT | 1358 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,230 ft | ||||
| TMT Austin, NV | 1608 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,735 ft | ||||
| TRK Truckee, CA | 1738 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,904 ft | ||||
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | no report just now | 26 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,283 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, 4:33 pm PDT (23:33 UTC)
SMF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at CLE 6:51 pm EDT (22:51 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







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: Cleveland-Hopkins International, Sacramento International.
