Plan a flight · Mon 2:59 am EDT (06:59 UTC)

Detroit Metro Wayne County to Sacramento International DTW → SMF

1,745 nautical miles (2,008 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 276°, about 283° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 16 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 4:18 pm PDT (23:18 UTC). Right now DTW is marginal VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 4 knots; SMF is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 3 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: 400 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 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 140 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 299 to 867 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). Over the route from 718 to 768 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 867 to 1246 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 917 to 1396 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 967 to 1137 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1037 to 1516 nm out.
AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1047 to 1545 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 1047 to 1137 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 DTW.

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

B38M at 30,000 ft, 48 nm north, 1:45 am EDT (05:45 UTC): moderate chop turbulence. 1057 nm along the route, 48 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RIW UA /OV BOY126080/TM 0545/FL300/TP B38M/TB CONS MOD CHOP /ZLC
```
Report
a routine report filed through RIW
Where
80 nm southeast (126°) of BOY
Time
05:45 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
continuous moderate chop zlc
A333 descending, 0 nm south, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
05:44 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A333
Sky
tops 2,500 ft
B739 descending, 0 nm south, 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 ft
B738 at 1,700 ft, 40 nm south, 2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 40 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
06:20 UTC
Height
at 1,700 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
B738 at 1,800 ft, 40 nm south, 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. At the departure end, 40 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
05:18 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B738 at 1,300 ft, 40 nm south, 12:45 am EDT (04:45 UTC): overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 40 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0445/FL013/TP B738/SK OVC013-TOP030/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
04:45 UTC
Height
at 1,300 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent

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 15 forecast points nearest it (FWA, MKG, JOT, DBQ, MCW, OMA, FSD, 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	220° at 18 kt	+13 kt	20 °C	107 kt	16 h 19 min	4:18 pm PDT (23:18 UTC)
6,500 ft	230° at 16 kt	+14 kt	15 °C	106 kt	16 h 28 min	4:27 pm PDT (23:27 UTC)
8,500 ft	230° at 17 kt	+14 kt	9 °C	106 kt	16 h 28 min	4:27 pm PDT (23:27 UTC)
10,500 ft	230° at 18 kt	+15 kt	5 °C	105 kt	16 h 37 min	4:36 pm PDT (23:36 UTC)
12,500 ft	230° at 19 kt	+17 kt	1 °C	103 kt	16 h 57 min	4:56 pm PDT (23:56 UTC)
14,500 ft	230° at 21 kt	+19 kt	-3 °C	101 kt	17 h 17 min	5:16 pm PDT (00:16 UTC)
16,500 ft	230° at 23 kt	+21 kt	-8 °C	99 kt	17 h 38 min	5:37 pm PDT (00:37 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	230° at 25 kt	+23 kt	-11 °C	97 kt	17 h 59 min	5:58 pm PDT (00:58 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 30 kt	+27 kt	-22 °C	93 kt	18 h 46 min	6:45 pm PDT (01:45 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	240° at 38 kt	+37 kt	-32 °C	83 kt	21 h 01 min	9:00 pm PDT (04:00 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	250° at 45 kt	+46 kt	-38 °C	74 kt	23 h 35 min	11:34 pm PDT (06:34 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 49 kt	+52 kt	-47 °C	68 kt	25 h 40 min	1:39 am PDT (08:39 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
FWA	used from 0 nm out; 96 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°
MKG	used from 50 nm out; 73 nm from the line	260/22	290/16 15°	300/11 10°	290/5 3°	300/26 -9°	300/32 -20°	320/48 -36°	320/61 -45°	310/74 -53°
JOT	used from 199 nm out; 59 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 249 nm out; 53 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°
MCW	used from 399 nm out; 41 nm from the line	220/44	250/30 17°	230/14 12°	240/17 6°	250/22 -8°	270/29 -20°	250/34 -34°	260/52 -43°	260/59 -51°
OMA	used from 499 nm out; 80 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°
FSD	used from 548 nm out; 68 nm from the line	190/9	230/30 18°	240/23 13°	240/20 6°	260/22 -9°	250/31 -21°	250/43 -36°	260/49 -43°	270/53 -47°
ONL	used from 598 nm out; 57 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 798 nm out; 78 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 1047 nm out; 75 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 1197 nm out; 63 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 1346 nm out; 85 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 1446 nm out; 53 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 1595 nm out; 34 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 1695 nm out; 27 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
DTW Detroit, MI	departure	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet	from the west (260°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	1,100 ft	645 ft	2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC)
JXN Jackson, MI	50 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	from the south (180°) at 3 knots	3 mi	none	1,000 ft	06:32 UTC
UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL	199 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	728 ft	06:51 UTC
ALO Waterloo, IA	399 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	873 ft	06:54 UTC
SUX Sioux City, IA	578 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	1,098 ft	06:52 UTC
AIA Alliance, NE	867 nm out, 4 nm east of the line	VFR	from the north (360°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	3,930 ft	06:53 UTC
GUR Guernsey, WY	947 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 15,000 feet	from the east (100°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	15,000 ft	4,401 ft	06:55 UTC
SAA Saratoga, WY	1047 nm out, 12 nm south of the line	reported, no category	from the south-southeast (160°) at 22 knots, gusting to 34	10+ mi	none	7,014 ft	06:30 UTC
SLC Salt Lake City, UT	1286 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 feet, scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 13,000 feet, overcast at 17,000 feet	from the east-southeast (120°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	13,000 ft	4,230 ft	06:54 UTC
TMT Austin, NV	1536 nm out, 19 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet	from the west-northwest (290°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	11,000 ft	5,735 ft	06:35 UTC
TRK Truckee, CA	1665 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	5,904 ft	06:35 UTC
SMF Sacramento, CA	destination	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	11,000 ft	26 ft	11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 7,014 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, 4:18 pm PDT (23:18 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 DTW, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, mist, a broken layer at 300 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet

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

Daylight

Sunset at DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 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

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

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

Radar now, the northern 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: Detroit Metro Wayne County, Sacramento International.