Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport to General Mitchell International OAK → MKE
1,590 nautical miles (1,830 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 068°, about 054° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 18 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 51-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:31 am CDT (15:31 UTC). 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: 5 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. Over the first 109 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 239 to 736 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 239 to 755 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 348 to 885 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 537 to 924 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 646 to 815 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 646 to 726 nm out.
- 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 924 to 1511 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 1014 to 1074 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 OAK.
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 eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd 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 (SFO, SAC, RNO, BAM, ELY, SLC, RKS, BFF, ONL, FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 17 kt | −12 kt | 20 °C | 132 kt | 12 h 03 min | 1:16 pm CDT (18:16 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | −15 kt | 10 °C | 135 kt | 11 h 47 min | 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | −16 kt | 7 °C | 136 kt | 11 h 41 min | 12:54 pm CDT (17:54 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | −17 kt | 3 °C | 137 kt | 11 h 36 min | 12:49 pm CDT (17:49 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | −19 kt | -2 °C | 139 kt | 11 h 26 min | 12:39 pm CDT (17:39 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −21 kt | -6 °C | 141 kt | 11 h 17 min | 12:30 pm CDT (17:30 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | −22 kt | -10 °C | 142 kt | 11 h 12 min | 12:25 pm CDT (17:25 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 26 kt | −23 kt | -11 °C | 143 kt | 11 h 07 min | 12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 31 kt | −27 kt | -22 °C | 147 kt | 10 h 49 min | 12:02 pm CDT (17:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 39 kt | −35 kt | -32 °C | 155 kt | 10 h 15 min | 11:28 am CDT (16:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 46 kt | −46 kt | -37 °C | 166 kt | 9 h 35 min | 10:48 am CDT (15:48 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 50 kt | −51 kt | -46 °C | 171 kt | 9 h 18 min | 10:31 am CDT (15:31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | used from 0 nm out; 34 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° |
| SAC | used from 50 nm out; 40 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° |
| RNO | used from 99 nm out; 61 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° | |
| BAM | used from 249 nm out; 77 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° | ||
| ELY | used from 298 nm out; 46 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° | ||
| SLC | used from 447 nm out; 42 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° | |
| RKS | used from 596 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| BFF | used from 746 nm out; 122 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° | |
| ONL | used from 994 nm out; 95 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° | |
| FSD | used from 1193 nm out; 57 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° |
| MCW | used from 1292 nm out; 40 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° |
| DBQ | used from 1392 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° |
| JOT | used from 1541 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OAK Oakland, CA | departure | no report just now | 9 ft | ||||
| SCK Stockton, CA | 50 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 32 ft | ||||
| GAB Gabbs, NV | 209 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 4,699 ft | ||||
| PVU Provo, UT | 507 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,496 ft | ||||
| SAA Saratoga, WY | 746 nm out, 0 nm south of the line | no report just now | 7,014 ft | ||||
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | 895 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,967 ft | ||||
| ONL O'Neill, NE | 1113 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 2,033 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 1213 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 1392 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 873 ft | ||||
| UES Waukesha, WI | 1571 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 911 ft | ||||
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | destination | no report just now | 728 ft |
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 MKE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:31 am CDT (15:31 UTC)
MKE has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 22 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at OAK 6:35 pm PDT (01:35 UTC), at MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, General Mitchell International.