General Mitchell International to San Francisco International MKE → SFO
1,600 nautical miles (1,841 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 270°, about 274° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 41 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 1:45 pm PDT (20:45 UTC). Right now MKE is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots; SFO is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 8 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: 8 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 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 80 to 670 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 520 to 570 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 660 to 1060 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 710 to 1250 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 770 to 950 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 830 to 1350 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 850 to 1350 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 860 to 950 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 110 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 MKE.
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 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 13 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, MCW, FSD, ONL, BFF, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, RNO, SAC, SFO). 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 | 210° at 17 kt | +11 kt | 20 °C | 109 kt | 14 h 41 min | 1:45 pm PDT (20:45 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | +12 kt | 15 °C | 108 kt | 14 h 49 min | 1:53 pm PDT (20:53 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | +15 kt | 9 °C | 105 kt | 15 h 14 min | 2:18 pm PDT (21:18 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | +17 kt | 4 °C | 103 kt | 15 h 32 min | 2:36 pm PDT (21:36 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | +18 kt | 0 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 41 min | 2:45 pm PDT (21:45 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | +20 kt | -4 °C | 100 kt | 16 h | 3:04 pm PDT (22:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +21 kt | -8 °C | 99 kt | 16 h 10 min | 3:14 pm PDT (22:14 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 26 kt | +22 kt | -11 °C | 98 kt | 16 h 20 min | 3:24 pm PDT (22:24 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 31 kt | +27 kt | -22 °C | 93 kt | 17 h 12 min | 4:16 pm PDT (23:16 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 39 kt | +35 kt | -31 °C | 85 kt | 18 h 49 min | 5:53 pm PDT (00:53 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 47 kt | +46 kt | -37 °C | 74 kt | 21 h 37 min | 8:41 pm PDT (03:41 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 50 kt | +51 kt | -46 °C | 69 kt | 23 h 11 min | 10:15 pm PDT (05:15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 87 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 50 nm out; 59 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 200 nm out; 23 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° |
| FSD | used from 300 nm out; 82 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 400 nm out; 52 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 600 nm out; 73 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 800 nm out; 121 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 1000 nm out; 59 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 1150 nm out; 64 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 1300 nm out; 81 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 1350 nm out; 92 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 1500 nm out; 38 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° |
| SFO | used from 1550 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 120/13 | 090/14 5° | 040/14 -1° | 350/17 -5° | 360/42 -14° | 360/64 -23° | 350/38 -32° | 300/19 -37° | 250/18 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 728 ft | 12:52 am CDT (05:52 UTC) |
| MSN Madison, WI | 60 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 886 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 200 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 873 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 380 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 9 mi | none | 1,098 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| ONL O'Neill, NE | 480 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,033 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| AIA Alliance, NE | 660 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the east (100°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,930 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| SAA Saratoga, WY | 850 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the south (180°) at 17 knots, gusting to 26 | 10+ mi | none | 7,014 ft | 05:50 UTC |
| PVU Provo, UT | 1080 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,900 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,900 ft | 4,496 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| GAB Gabbs, NV | 1380 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 4,699 ft | ||||
| SCK Stockton, CA | 1540 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 32 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| SFO San Francisco, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 13 ft | 10:56 pm PDT (05:56 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 SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:45 pm PDT (20:45 UTC)
Wind from the northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for SFO
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 pm PDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MKE, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 4,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Tue 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 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: General Mitchell International, San Francisco International.