EL Paso International to Sacramento International ELP → SMF
851 nautical miles (980 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 303°, about 295° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:07 pm PDT (19:07 UTC). Right now ELP is VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 4 knots; SMF is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) 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: 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
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 119 to 634 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 228 to 337 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 228 to 445 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 307 to 436 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). Near the route, 327 nm along the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 535 to 535 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 158 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 733 to 802 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 ELP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 7 forecast points nearest it (ELP, TUS, PHX, PRC, LAS, BIH, 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 8 kt | +1 kt | 9 °C | 119 kt | 7 h 09 min | 12:17 pm PDT (19:17 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 10 kt | +1 kt | 8 °C | 119 kt | 7 h 09 min | 12:17 pm PDT (19:17 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 17 kt | −1 kt | 4 °C | 121 kt | 7 h 02 min | 12:10 pm PDT (19:10 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 20 kt | −2 kt | 1 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 59 min | 12:07 pm PDT (19:07 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 210° at 22 kt | −1 kt | -2 °C | 121 kt | 7 h 02 min | 12:10 pm PDT (19:10 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | +3 kt | -6 °C | 117 kt | 7 h 16 min | 12:24 pm PDT (19:24 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 31 kt | +6 kt | -9 °C | 114 kt | 7 h 28 min | 12:36 pm PDT (19:36 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 35 kt | +9 kt | -11 °C | 111 kt | 7 h 40 min | 12:48 pm PDT (19:48 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 44 kt | +14 kt | -20 °C | 106 kt | 8 h 02 min | 1:10 pm PDT (20:10 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 56 kt | +15 kt | -30 °C | 105 kt | 8 h 06 min | 1:14 pm PDT (20:14 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 65 kt | +17 kt | -37 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 16 min | 1:24 pm PDT (20:24 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 62 kt | +15 kt | -46 °C | 105 kt | 8 h 06 min | 1:14 pm PDT (20:14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 300/8 | 210/14 12° | 210/28 6° | 230/47 -6° | 230/56 -14° | 220/58 -27° | 230/60 -38° | 230/56 -50° | |
| TUS | used from 148 nm out; 113 nm from the line | 200/12 13° | 200/34 7° | 210/41 4° | 230/53 -7° | 220/69 -19° | 220/84 -27° | 220/88 -36° | 220/83 -48° | |
| PHX | used from 198 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 190/15 | 210/25 12° | 200/34 4° | 200/34 2° | 220/58 -9° | 220/75 -19° | 220/91 -28° | 220/100 -35° | 220/95 -47° |
| PRC | used from 297 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 200/37 6° | 200/35 0° | 220/60 -11° | 220/71 -20° | 220/88 -29° | 220/98 -35° | 220/94 -45° | ||
| LAS | used from 445 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| BIH | used from 594 nm out; 61 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 0° | 140/7 -7° | 210/31 -16° | 230/34 -26° | 220/43 -30° | 220/52 -36° | 220/46 -43° | |
| SAC | used from 742 nm out; 76 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELP El Paso, TX | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet | from the north (360°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,961 ft | 5:51 am MDT (11:51 UTC) |
| DNA Santa Teresa, NM | 20 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,500 feet | from the north (360°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,112 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| SVC Silver City, NM | 99 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 7,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 5,445 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| PAN Payson, AZ | 287 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,700 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 3,700 ft | 5,160 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| PRC Prescott, AZ | 346 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 feet, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 6,500 feet | from the south (190°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 5,045 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| LAS Las Vegas, NV | 505 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 2,183 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| VGT Las Vegas, NV | 515 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,205 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| MMH Mammoth Lakes, CA | 703 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 7,134 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| MHR Sacramento, CA | 832 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 98 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 4:53 am PDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,134 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, 12:07 pm PDT (19:07 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SMF
- 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
- From Mon 10:00 pm PDT (05:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for ELP, the departure
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 9 nm from the route, 455 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 485 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/8808 Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, 505 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 11 nm from the route, 733 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA
- 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at ELP 6:35 pm MDT (00:35 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
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: EL Paso International, Sacramento International.