Tri-Cities Airport to San Francisco International PSC → SFO
539 nautical miles (620 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 197°, about 182° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 80-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:27 am PDT (13:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PSC is VFR, wind from the north (350°) at 7 knots; SFO is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 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: 1,186 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 whole route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 210 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 PSC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A35K at 32,000 ft, 2 nm northeast, 1:39 am PDT (08:39 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: fdcs zoa. 509 nm along the route, 2 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
OAK UA /OV OAK348024/TM 0839/FL320/TP A35K/TB MOD CHOP/RM FDCS ZOA
- Report
- a routine report filed through OAK
- Where
- 24 nm north (348°) of OAK
- Time
- 08:39 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A35K
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- fdcs zoa
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 7 forecast points nearest it (YKM, RDM, LKV, SIY, RBL, 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 | 010° at 9 kt | −9 kt | -2 °C | 129 kt | 4 h 11 min | 7:56 am PDT (14:56 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 010° at 10 kt | −10 kt | 0 °C | 130 kt | 4 h 09 min | 7:54 am PDT (14:54 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 010° at 14 kt | −14 kt | -5 °C | 134 kt | 4 h 01 min | 7:46 am PDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 360° at 20 kt | −20 kt | -8 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 51 min | 7:36 am PDT (14:36 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 360° at 29 kt | −28 kt | -10 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 39 min | 7:24 am PDT (14:24 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 360° at 44 kt | −42 kt | -12 °C | 162 kt | 3 h 20 min | 7:05 am PDT (14:05 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 360° at 58 kt | −56 kt | -14 °C | 176 kt | 3 h 04 min | 6:49 am PDT (13:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 360° at 69 kt | −67 kt | -15 °C | 187 kt | 2 h 53 min | 6:38 am PDT (13:38 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 360° at 84 kt | −80 kt | -24 °C | 200 kt | 2 h 42 min | 6:27 am PDT (13:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 360° at 72 kt | −67 kt | -38 °C | 187 kt | 2 h 53 min | 6:38 am PDT (13:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 340° at 41 kt | −33 kt | -41 °C | 153 kt | 3 h 31 min | 7:16 am PDT (14:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 15 kt | −1 kt | -43 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 27 min | 8:12 am PDT (15:12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YKM | used from 0 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 360/6 | 360/11 -1° | 030/20 -7° | 040/21 -11° | 020/55 -18° | 010/84 -26° | 010/79 -40° | 010/45 -42° | 350/23 -42° |
| RDM | used from 50 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 360/14 -2° | 020/25 -8° | 360/34 -13° | 360/75 -16° | 360/88 -25° | 360/80 -39° | 350/47 -42° | 360/11 -43° | |
| LKV | used from 200 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 010/10 -8° | 360/20 -11° | 360/58 -19° | 360/92 -25° | 350/69 -37° | 310/34 -37° | 240/26 -41° | ||
| SIY | used from 299 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 060/14 -1° | 030/21 -4° | 010/29 -8° | 360/75 -13° | 350/77 -24° | 350/74 -39° | 340/57 -45° | 300/20 -42° | |
| RBL | used from 349 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 350/14 | 320/9 4° | 290/7 -3° | 350/22 -7° | 360/75 -13° | 350/79 -24° | 350/74 -39° | 340/49 -43° | 280/23 -43° |
| SAC | used from 449 nm out; 27 nm from the line | L/V | L/V 4° | 340/9 -4° | 340/22 -8° | 360/71 -12° | 360/82 -23° | 350/58 -37° | 310/30 -40° | 270/25 -44° |
| SFO | used from 499 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 090/9 | 050/12 4° | 010/17 -2° | 350/34 -3° | 360/70 -11° | 360/75 -22° | 350/57 -38° | 330/37 -42° | 280/25 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSC Pasco, WA | departure | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,000 feet | from the north (350°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 410 ft | 2:53 am PDT (09:53 UTC) |
| PDT Pendleton, OR | 30 nm out, 21 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,500 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 6,500 ft | 1,494 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| LKV Lakeview, OR | 250 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,600 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 3,600 ft | 4,734 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| AAT Alturas, CA | 289 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 4,378 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| CIC Chico, CA | 409 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,600 feet | from the north (360°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 240 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| SMF Sacramento, CA | 469 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| APC Napa, CA | 499 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 35 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| SFO San Francisco, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 13 ft | 2:56 am PDT (09:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,734 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, 6:27 am PDT (13:27 UTC)
Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SFO
- From Mon 1:00 am PDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
- 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 PSC, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm PDT (23:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
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 9 nm from the route, 439 nm along the route · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at PSC 6:13 pm PDT (01:13 UTC), at SFO 6:35 pm PDT (01:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm PDT (02:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SFO is before sunrise there (7:14 am PDT (14:14 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: Tri-Cities Airport, San Francisco International.