Pocatello Regional to Sacramento International PIH → SMF
480 nautical miles (553 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 241°, about 227° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:38 am PDT (11:38 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PIH is marginal VFR, wind calm; SMF is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 3 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: 3 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, from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 216 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 186 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft, from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 98 to 167 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft, from 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 118 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 PIH.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (PIH, BOI, 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 | 360° at 4 kt | −2 kt | 2 °C | 122 kt | 3 h 56 min | 4:38 am PDT (11:38 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 340° at 4 kt | −1 kt | 2 °C | 121 kt | 3 h 58 min | 4:40 am PDT (11:40 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 300° at 7 kt | +3 kt | -1 °C | 117 kt | 4 h 06 min | 4:48 am PDT (11:48 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 10 kt | +9 kt | -4 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 19 min | 5:01 am PDT (12:01 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 17 kt | +17 kt | -8 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 40 min | 5:22 am PDT (12:22 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | +22 kt | -11 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 54 min | 5:36 am PDT (12:36 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 210° at 30 kt | +27 kt | -15 °C | 93 kt | 5 h 10 min | 5:52 am PDT (12:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 210° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -17 °C | 89 kt | 5 h 24 min | 6:06 am PDT (13:06 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 200° at 44 kt | +36 kt | -26 °C | 84 kt | 5 h 43 min | 6:25 am PDT (13:25 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 51 kt | +49 kt | -29 °C | 71 kt | 6 h 46 min | 7:28 am PDT (14:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 54 kt | +52 kt | -34 °C | 68 kt | 7 h 04 min | 7:46 am PDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 46 kt | +45 kt | -42 °C | 75 kt | 6 h 24 min | 7:06 am PDT (14:06 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIH | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | L/V | 240/13 1° | 240/15 -3° | 210/42 -15° | 200/70 -25° | 220/74 -29° | 220/71 -36° | 220/62 -43° | |
| BOI | used from 98 nm out; 113 nm from the line | 300/7 2° | 280/5 -4° | 210/16 -9° | 210/60 -20° | 210/75 -29° | 210/63 -32° | 220/64 -32° | 220/54 -39° | |
| BAM | used from 147 nm out; 68 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 294 nm out; 65 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 441 nm out; 25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIH Pocatello, ID | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,600 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 2,600 ft | 4,451 ft | 12:53 am MDT (06:53 UTC) |
| TWF Twin Falls, ID | 88 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,600 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 7 mi | 3,600 ft | 4,153 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| BAM Battle Mountain, NV | 235 nm out, 24 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,000 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 4,536 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| WMC Winnemucca, NV | 265 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 10,000 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 4,307 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| LOL Lovelock, NV | 314 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,000 feet | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 3,907 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| RNO Reno, NV | 382 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,000 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,414 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| TRK Truckee, CA | 402 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,904 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| AUN Auburn, CA | 451 nm out, 1 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,000 feet | from the east (100°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,538 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 26 ft | 11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,904 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, 4:38 am PDT (11:38 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 PIH, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,400 feet and more above
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet and more above
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 8 nm from the route, 461 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at PIH 6:51 pm MDT (00:51 UTC), at SMF 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 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: Pocatello Regional, Sacramento International.