Chicago O'Hare International to Sacramento International ORD → SMF
1,544 nautical miles (1,777 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 274°, about 277° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 2:54 pm PDT (21:54 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: 2,635 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
- SIGMET W16W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 27,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am CDT (08:55 UTC). Over the route from 1195 to 1265 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120655 MKCW WST 120655 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 16W VALID UNTIL 0855Z UT NV FROM 50NW BVL-20NE BVL-40SE OAL-20N OAL-50NW BVL AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL270.
- 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 110 to 677 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). Near the route, 518 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 667 to 1046 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 707 to 1205 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 777 to 946 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 837 to 1315 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 857 to 1345 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 867 to 946 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 100 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 ORD.
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 13 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, DSM, OMA, ONL, BFF, DEN, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, RNO, 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 | 220° at 19 kt | +13 kt | 20 °C | 107 kt | 14 h 26 min | 2:54 pm PDT (21:54 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 17 kt | +13 kt | 16 °C | 107 kt | 14 h 26 min | 2:54 pm PDT (21:54 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +15 kt | 9 °C | 105 kt | 14 h 42 min | 3:10 pm PDT (22:10 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | +16 kt | 4 °C | 104 kt | 14 h 51 min | 3:19 pm PDT (22:19 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | +18 kt | 1 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 08 min | 3:36 pm PDT (22:36 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +20 kt | -4 °C | 100 kt | 15 h 26 min | 3:54 pm PDT (22:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +22 kt | -8 °C | 98 kt | 15 h 45 min | 4:13 pm PDT (23:13 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 28 kt | +24 kt | -11 °C | 96 kt | 16 h 05 min | 4:33 pm PDT (23:33 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 33 kt | +27 kt | -22 °C | 93 kt | 16 h 36 min | 5:04 pm PDT (00:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 43 kt | +37 kt | -31 °C | 83 kt | 18 h 36 min | 7:04 pm PDT (02:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 49 kt | +47 kt | -37 °C | 73 kt | 21 h 09 min | 9:37 pm PDT (04:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 51 kt | +51 kt | -46 °C | 69 kt | 22 h 23 min | 10:51 pm PDT (05:51 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; 32 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; 54 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° |
| DSM | used from 199 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| OMA | used from 299 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| ONL | used from 398 nm out; 62 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 598 nm out; 78 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° | |
| DEN | used from 797 nm out; 121 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° | ||
| RKS | used from 847 nm out; 78 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 996 nm out; 62 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 1146 nm out; 80 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 1245 nm out; 57 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 1345 nm out; 81 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 1494 nm out; 27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORD Chicago, IL | departure | no report just now | 680 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 50 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 169 nm out, 14 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 379 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| TIF Thedford, NE | 568 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,925 ft | ||||
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | 697 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,967 ft | ||||
| SAA Saratoga, WY | 847 nm out, 2 nm north of the line | no report just now | 7,014 ft | ||||
| BTF Bountiful, UT | 1076 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 4,237 ft | ||||
| SLC Salt Lake City, UT | 1086 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,230 ft | ||||
| TMT Austin, NV | 1335 nm out, 15 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,735 ft | ||||
| TRK Truckee, CA | 1464 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,904 ft | ||||
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | no report just now | 26 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 SMF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:54 pm PDT (21:54 UTC)
SMF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 13 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at SMF 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 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: Chicago O'Hare International, Sacramento International.
