Fresno Yosemite International to California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County FAT → ACV
325 nautical miles (374 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 322°, about 309° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:22 am PDT (10:22 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FAT is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 14 knots; ACV is VFR, wind calm. 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: 1 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 above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft, from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 256 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots), from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Near the route, at the destination end.
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 FAT.
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 4 forecast points nearest it (FAT, SAC, RBL, FOT). 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 | 070° at 5 kt | −2 kt | 122 kt | 2 h 40 min | 3:22 am PDT (10:22 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 060° at 2 kt | 0 | 4 °C | 120 kt | 2 h 42 min | 3:24 am PDT (10:24 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 020° at 5 kt | +2 kt | 0 °C | 118 kt | 2 h 45 min | 3:27 am PDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 360° at 9 kt | +7 kt | -4 °C | 113 kt | 2 h 53 min | 3:35 am PDT (10:35 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 350° at 14 kt | +12 kt | -7 °C | 108 kt | 3 h 01 min | 3:43 am PDT (10:43 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 350° at 21 kt | +18 kt | -10 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 11 min | 3:53 am PDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 350° at 28 kt | +25 kt | -13 °C | 95 kt | 3 h 25 min | 4:07 am PDT (11:07 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 350° at 34 kt | +29 kt | -15 °C | 91 kt | 3 h 34 min | 4:16 am PDT (11:16 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 360° at 51 kt | +41 kt | -23 °C | 79 kt | 4 h 07 min | 4:49 am PDT (11:49 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 350° at 37 kt | +34 kt | -33 °C | 86 kt | 3 h 47 min | 4:29 am PDT (11:29 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 19 kt | +18 kt | -37 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 11 min | 3:53 am PDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 21 kt | +8 kt | -43 °C | 112 kt | 2 h 54 min | 3:36 am PDT (10:36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAT | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 130/16 | 160/20 5° | 190/28 -1° | 210/25 -5° | 220/27 -15° | 230/21 -26° | 220/42 -29° | 220/44 -35° | 220/44 -44° |
| SAC | used from 49 nm out; 60 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° |
| RBL | used from 197 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 020/16 | 360/6 5° | L/V -2° | 340/10 -8° | 360/59 -15° | 360/87 -23° | 360/68 -35° | 330/28 -37° | 260/26 -42° |
| FOT | used from 246 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 040/18 | 020/10 5° | 020/22 0° | 010/38 -3° | 360/70 -12° | 360/81 -23° | 360/88 -39° | 360/52 -44° | 330/31 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAT Fresno, CA | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,500 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 14 knots | 9 mi | 12,000 ft | 335 ft | 11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC) |
| MAE Madera, CA | 20 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,500 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 255 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| MER Atwater, CA | 49 nm out, 11 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 190 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| SCK Stockton, CA | 99 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 feet | from the north (350°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 32 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| SMF Sacramento, CA | 148 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 26 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| MYV Marysville, CA | 167 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line | VFR | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 64 ft | 19:53 UTC |
| WLW Willows, CA | 207 nm out, 11 nm east of the line | no report just now | 141 ft | ||||
| FOT Fortuna, CA | 305 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 7 knots | 8 mi | none | 392 ft | 07:30 UTC |
| ACV Arcata/Eureka, CA | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 222 ft | 11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 392 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ACV when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:22 am PDT (10:22 UTC)
Wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for ACV
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for FAT, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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 14 nm from the route, 158 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at FAT 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC), at ACV 6:39 pm PDT (01:39 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm PDT (02:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ACV is before sunrise there (7:24 am PDT (14:24 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: Fresno Yosemite International, California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County.