Lubbock Preston Smith International to Fresno Yosemite International LBB → FAT
896 nautical miles (1,031 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 287°, about 281° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 11:27 am PDT (18:27 UTC). Right now LBB is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 9 knots; FAT is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) at 13 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: 2 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 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 209 to 538 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, 438 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 478 to 607 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 488 to 797 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 498 to 597 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, 707 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 40 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 LBB.
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 9 forecast points nearest it (LBB, TCC, ROW, ABQ, FMN, PRC, LAS, BIH, FAT). 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 13 kt | +5 kt | 11 °C | 115 kt | 7 h 47 min | 11:27 am PDT (18:27 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 14 kt | +6 kt | 9 °C | 114 kt | 7 h 52 min | 11:32 am PDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | +6 kt | 7 °C | 114 kt | 7 h 52 min | 11:32 am PDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 24 kt | +7 kt | 4 °C | 113 kt | 7 h 56 min | 11:36 am PDT (18:36 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 210° at 29 kt | +10 kt | -1 °C | 110 kt | 8 h 09 min | 11:49 am PDT (18:49 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 35 kt | +14 kt | -4 °C | 106 kt | 8 h 27 min | 12:07 pm PDT (19:07 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 40 kt | +18 kt | -8 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 47 min | 12:27 pm PDT (19:27 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 45 kt | +21 kt | -11 °C | 99 kt | 9 h 03 min | 12:43 pm PDT (19:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 55 kt | +33 kt | -20 °C | 87 kt | 10 h 18 min | 1:58 pm PDT (20:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 71 kt | +40 kt | -29 °C | 80 kt | 11 h 12 min | 2:52 pm PDT (21:52 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 73 kt | +43 kt | -36 °C | 77 kt | 11 h 38 min | 3:18 pm PDT (22:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 67 kt | +40 kt | -46 °C | 80 kt | 11 h 12 min | 2:52 pm PDT (21:52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LBB | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/25 21° | 230/20 15° | 220/20 7° | 230/36 -6° | 240/50 -15° | 240/59 -28° | 260/52 -37° | 260/45 -50° | |
| TCC | used from 50 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| ROW | used from 100 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 230/12 | 230/17 13° | 220/30 7° | 230/41 -5° | 240/52 -17° | 230/66 -28° | 240/63 -38° | 240/60 -50° | |
| ABQ | used from 199 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| FMN | used from 349 nm out; 98 nm from the line | 220/16 6° | 220/39 1° | 220/50 -10° | 230/67 -23° | 230/94 -29° | 230/102 -35° | 230/90 -46° | ||
| PRC | used from 448 nm out; 88 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 597 nm out; 51 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 747 nm out; 78 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° | |
| FAT | used from 846 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 140/11 | 180/15 3° | 150/14 -3° | 200/14 -6° | 240/17 -16° | 320/25 -23° | 270/22 -31° | 240/29 -37° | 230/36 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LBB Lubbock, TX | departure | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,282 ft | 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC) |
| LIU Littlefield, TX | 30 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,615 ft | ||||
| FSU Fort Sumner, NM | 129 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,164 ft | ||||
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | 249 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 09:52 UTC |
| GNT Grants, NM | 319 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,800 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,800 ft | 6,536 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| RQE Window Rock, AZ | 378 nm out, 22 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 6,742 ft | 10:26 UTC |
| GCN Grand Canyon, AZ | 528 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 800 feet, scattered clouds at 1,600 feet, overcast at 7,500 feet | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 7,500 ft | 6,608 ft | 10:30 UTC |
| VGT Las Vegas, NV | 677 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the east (100°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,205 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| BTY Beatty, NV | 757 nm out, 24 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,169 ft | ||||
| FAT Fresno, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,000 feet | from the east-southeast (120°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 335 ft | 2:53 am PDT (09:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,742 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FAT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:27 am PDT (18:27 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for FAT
- 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
The forecast for LBB, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, 199 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 647 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/8808 Las Vegas, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 9 nm from the route, 667 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at LBB 7:16 pm CDT (00:16 UTC), at FAT 6:25 pm PDT (01:25 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:51 pm PDT (01:51 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: Lubbock Preston Smith International, Fresno Yosemite International.