Spokane International to Sacramento International GEG → SMF
564 nautical miles (649 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 200°, about 186° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 39-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:36 am PDT (09:36 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now GEG is VFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 10 knots; SMF is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 7 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: 1,214 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 ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the first 238 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 554 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 109 to 208 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 GEG.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E75L at 1,500 ft, 32 nm west, 9:49 pm PDT (04:49 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear loss of 8 knots on final. 99 nm along the route, 32 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
PSC UA /OV PSC120003/TM 0449/FL015/TP E75L/RM LLWS LOSS OF 8 KTS ON FINAL
- Report
- a routine report filed through PSC
- Where
- 3 nm southeast (120°) of PSC
- Time
- 04:49 UTC
- Height
- at 1,500 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Remarks
- low-level wind shear loss of 8 knots on final
- E75L descending, 17 nm west, 9:35 pm PDT (04:35 UTC): light turbulence from 11,000 ft to 14,000 ft, light rime icing from 8,000 ft to 12,000 ft, -10 °C. 129 nm along the route, 17 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
GEG UA /OV PDT/TM 0435/FLDURD/TP E75L/TA M10/TB LT TURB 140-110/IC LT RIME 120-080
- Report
- a routine report filed through GEG
- Where
- over PDT
- Time
- 04:35 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Temperature
- −10 °C
- Turbulence
- lt turbulence from 14,000 ft to 11,000 ft
- Icing
- lt rime from 12,000 ft to 8,000 ft
- B738 at 30,000 ft, 22 nm northwest, 8:45 pm PDT (03:45 UTC): light to moderate turbulence, remarks: zse. 376 nm along the route, 22 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
LKV UA /OV LKV180040/TM 0345/FL300/TP B738/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD/RM ZSE
- Report
- a routine report filed through LKV
- Where
- 40 nm south (180°) of LKV
- Time
- 03:45 UTC
- Height
- at 30,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate
- Remarks
- zse
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 6 forecast points nearest it (GEG, LWS, RDM, LKV, RBL, 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 | 060° at 11 kt | −8 kt | -1 °C | 128 kt | 4 h 24 min | 3:27 am PDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 050° at 11 kt | −9 kt | -1 °C | 129 kt | 4 h 22 min | 3:25 am PDT (10:25 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 030° at 12 kt | −12 kt | -6 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 16 min | 3:19 am PDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 020° at 12 kt | −12 kt | -8 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 16 min | 3:19 am PDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 010° at 12 kt | −12 kt | -11 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 16 min | 3:19 am PDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 360° at 14 kt | −13 kt | -14 °C | 133 kt | 4 h 14 min | 3:17 am PDT (10:17 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 360° at 16 kt | −15 kt | -17 °C | 135 kt | 4 h 11 min | 3:14 am PDT (10:14 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 360° at 17 kt | −16 kt | -20 °C | 136 kt | 4 h 09 min | 3:12 am PDT (10:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 360° at 41 kt | −39 kt | -27 °C | 159 kt | 3 h 33 min | 2:36 am PDT (09:36 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 350° at 31 kt | −27 kt | -34 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 50 min | 2:53 am PDT (09:53 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 18 kt | −7 kt | -36 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 26 min | 3:29 am PDT (10:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 19 kt | +9 kt | -40 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 05 min | 4:08 am PDT (11:08 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEG | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 080/16 -2° | 050/17 -7° | 080/9 -10° | 190/33 -21° | 180/31 -32° | L/V -35° | L/V -37° | 270/8 -40° | |
| LWS | used from 49 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 070/10 | 080/12 -2° | 030/12 -6° | 080/7 -10° | 170/34 -21° | 160/46 -32° | 200/33 -35° | 220/22 -35° | 230/18 -38° |
| RDM | used from 148 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 040/17 -1° | 030/31 -8° | 010/29 -12° | 010/61 -19° | 360/95 -25° | 360/82 -36° | 360/40 -37° | 310/19 -40° | |
| LKV | used from 247 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 010/8 -8° | 350/13 -11° | 340/21 -21° | 360/60 -26° | 350/37 -32° | 310/26 -35° | 260/25 -39° | ||
| RBL | used from 445 nm out; 58 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° |
| SAC | used from 495 nm out; 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GEG Spokane, WA | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,385 ft | 10:53 pm PDT (05:53 UTC) |
| ALW Walla Walla, WA | 99 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 12,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 1,194 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PDT Pendleton, OR | 129 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 1,494 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GCD John Day, OR | 198 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 6,500 ft | 3,702 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| BNO Burns, OR | 247 nm out, 23 nm east of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,148 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| AAT Alturas, CA | 386 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the northeast (040°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 4,378 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| SVE Susanville, CA | 455 nm out, 15 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 8,000 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 4,149 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| MYV Marysville, CA | 544 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | VFR | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 64 ft | 19:53 UTC |
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 10:53 pm PDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,378 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, 2:36 am PDT (09:36 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies 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 GEG, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm PDT (20:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 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 on the route, 535 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at GEG 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC), at SMF 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm PDT (01:59 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SMF is before sunrise there (7:12 am PDT (14:12 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: Spokane International, Sacramento International.