Plan a flight · Mon 12:58 am CDT (05:58 UTC)

St. Louis Downtown Airport to San Francisco International CPS → SFO

1,516 nautical miles (1,744 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 278°, about 278° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 14 h 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 1:50 pm PDT (20:50 UTC). Right now CPS is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots; SFO is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 5 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: 4 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 110 to 588 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 598 to 1017 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 598 to 1207 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 698 to 858 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 808 to 1266 nm out.
AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 897 to 1227 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 CPS.

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

urgent E75L at 9,000 ft, 3 nm west, 11:30 pm CDT (04:30 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear + 20K 1000-1500 above ground on approach. 778 nm along the route, 3 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASE UUA /OV ASE/TM 0430/FL090/TP E75L/RM LLWS +/- 20K 1000-1500 AGL ON APCH
```
Report
an urgent report filed through ASE
Where
over ASE
Time
04:30 UTC
Height
at 9,000 ft
Aircraft
E75L
Remarks
low-level wind shear + 20K 1000-1500 above ground on approach
PC12 at 17,000 ft, 18 nm south, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): moderate turbulence, moderate rime icing, -15 °C, remarks: entered by zoa fdcs. 1296 nm along the route, 18 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TPH UA /OV OAL/TM 0452/FL 170/TP PC12/TA M15/TB MOD/IC MOD RIME/RM ENTERED BY ZOA FDCS AWC-WEB
```
Report
a routine report filed through TPH
Where
over OAL
Time
04:52 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
PC12
Temperature
−15 °C
Turbulence
moderate
Icing
moderate rime
Remarks
entered by zoa fdcs
A320 descending, 34 nm north, 10:19 pm CDT (03:19 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. 678 nm along the route, 34 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0319/FLDURD/TP A320/TB NEG BLO 100
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
over DEN
Time
03:19 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A320
Turbulence
no below 10,000 ft
E170 at 22,500 ft, 7 nm south, 12:06 am CDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. 718 nm along the route, 7 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
Time
05:06 UTC
Height
at 22,500 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13
B733 at 20,000 ft, 45 nm south, 10:16 pm CDT (03:16 UTC): light chop turbulence up to 20,000 ft, clear from 20,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: during the climb ZDVWC-12. 788 nm along the route, 45 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GUC UA /OV HBU/TM 0316/FL200/TP B733/SK SKC/TB OCNL LGT CHOP BLO 200/RM DURC ZDVWC-12
```
Report
a routine report filed through GUC
Where
over HBU
Time
03:16 UTC
Height
at 20,000 ft
Aircraft
B733
Sky
clear
Turbulence
occasional light chop below 20,000 ft
Remarks
during the climb ZDVWC-12
BE20 at 16,000 ft, 22 nm north, 10:28 pm CDT (03:28 UTC): light chop turbulence, light rime icing, -3 °C, remarks: ZDVWC-11. 818 nm along the route, 22 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RIL UA /OV RIL/TM 0328/FL160/TP BE20/TA M03/TB LGT CHOP/IC LGT RIME/RM ZDVWC-11
```
Report
a routine report filed through RIL
Where
over RIL
Time
03:28 UTC
Height
at 16,000 ft
Aircraft
BE20
Temperature
−3 °C
Turbulence
light chop
Icing
light rime
Remarks
ZDVWC-11
UAL2479 at 36,000 ft, 1 nm northwest, 10:11 pm CDT (03:11 UTC): no turbulence, wind 231° at 49 knots. 828 nm along the route, 1 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL2479 3910N 10753W 0311 F360 231/049KT TB SMTH IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP

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 12 forecast points nearest it (STL, COU, MKC, SLN, GLD, DEN, GJT, BCE, ELY, BIH, 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	230° at 27 kt	+18 kt		102 kt	14 h 52 min	1:50 pm PDT (20:50 UTC)
6,500 ft	240° at 23 kt	+18 kt	14 °C	102 kt	14 h 52 min	1:50 pm PDT (20:50 UTC)
8,500 ft	230° at 24 kt	+18 kt	9 °C	102 kt	14 h 52 min	1:50 pm PDT (20:50 UTC)
10,500 ft	230° at 23 kt	+18 kt	5 °C	102 kt	14 h 52 min	1:50 pm PDT (20:50 UTC)
12,500 ft	230° at 23 kt	+18 kt	1 °C	102 kt	14 h 52 min	1:50 pm PDT (20:50 UTC)
14,500 ft	230° at 25 kt	+20 kt	-3 °C	100 kt	15 h 10 min	2:08 pm PDT (21:08 UTC)
16,500 ft	230° at 27 kt	+21 kt	-7 °C	99 kt	15 h 19 min	2:17 pm PDT (21:17 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	230° at 28 kt	+22 kt	-11 °C	98 kt	15 h 28 min	2:26 pm PDT (21:26 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 37 kt	+29 kt	-21 °C	91 kt	16 h 40 min	3:38 pm PDT (22:38 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	240° at 48 kt	+41 kt	-30 °C	79 kt	19 h 11 min	6:09 pm PDT (01:09 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	240° at 51 kt	+46 kt	-36 °C	74 kt	20 h 29 min	7:27 pm PDT (02:27 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	240° at 47 kt	+44 kt	-46 °C	76 kt	19 h 57 min	6:55 pm PDT (01:55 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
STL	used from 0 nm out; 16 nm from the line	250/24	250/24 16°	260/23 9°	270/16 6°	260/25 -6°	270/29 -19°	290/34 -33°	290/48 -41°	290/54 -51°
COU	used from 50 nm out; 23 nm from the line	230/31	230/30 15°	260/16 11°	270/14 6°	260/24 -6°	270/27 -18°	270/37 -32°	280/49 -41°	290/56 -51°
MKC	used from 150 nm out; 37 nm from the line	220/44	250/28 18°	250/18 13°	240/12 6°	280/24 -6°	240/34 -18°	260/47 -30°	260/51 -40°	270/58 -50°
SLN	used from 299 nm out; 34 nm from the line	210/53	230/41 20°	240/26 14°	230/16 8°	240/25 -7°	240/35 -19°	250/61 -30°	260/65 -38°	260/56 -49°
GLD	used from 449 nm out; 67 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°
DEN	used from 598 nm out; 66 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°
GJT	used from 748 nm out; 85 nm from the line			210/43 7°	230/45 1°	220/49 -12°	220/62 -22°	220/59 -28°	230/60 -33°	220/55 -45°
BCE	used from 947 nm out; 95 nm from the line				220/27 -1°	210/40 -13°	220/54 -21°	220/64 -30°	220/64 -34°	220/52 -44°
ELY	used from 1097 nm out; 48 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°
BIH	used from 1246 nm out; 78 nm from the line		L/V	240/7 1°	190/13 -3°	200/26 -16°	210/43 -26°	220/54 -28°	220/51 -35°	220/47 -43°
SAC	used from 1396 nm out; 61 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°
SFO	used from 1496 nm out; 10 nm from the line	120/13	090/14 5°	040/14 -1°	350/17 -5°	360/42 -14°	360/64 -23°	350/38 -32°	300/19 -37°	250/18 -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
CPS Cahokia/St Louis, IL	departure	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	412 ft	12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC)
COU Columbia, MO	100 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	889 ft	05:54 UTC
TOP Topeka, KS	259 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 9 knots, gusting to 20	10+ mi	none	881 ft	05:53 UTC
MHK Manhattan, KS	309 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots, gusting to 23	10+ mi	none	1,066 ft	05:52 UTC
ITR Burlington, CO	568 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots	10+ mi	none	4,218 ft	05:53 UTC
APA Denver, CO	688 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	5,884 ft	05:53 UTC
GJT Grand Junction, CO	858 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet	variable at 4 knots	10+ mi	10,000 ft	4,861 ft	05:53 UTC
FOM Fillmore, UT	1037 nm out, 5 nm north of the line	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	4,984 ft	05:35 UTC
MLF Milford, UT	1067 nm out, 24 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 12 knots	10+ mi	11,000 ft	5,042 ft	05:52 UTC
TPH Tonopah, NV	1266 nm out, 20 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 3,300 feet, overcast at 4,700 feet Weather: nearby thunderstorms	from the north (360°) at 15 knots, gusting to 20	10+ mi	3,300 ft	5,430 ft	05:41 UTC
LVK Livermore, CA	1486 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	399 ft	05:53 UTC
SFO San Francisco, CA	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	13 ft	9:56 pm PDT (04:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,884 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, 1:50 pm PDT (20:50 UTC)

Wind from the northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for SFO

From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 3:00 pm PDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for CPS, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

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

6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 21 nm from the route, 100 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 14 nm from the route, 718 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, 1396 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA
6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at CPS 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 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 southern Plains · 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: St. Louis Downtown Airport, San Francisco International.