Palm Springs International to San Francisco International PSP → SFO
365 nautical miles (420 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 310°, about 297° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:07 pm PDT (03:07 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PSP is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 7 knots; SFO is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 12 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: 5,392 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 below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the first 128 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 6E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 79 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Near the route, 20 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Near the route, 30 nm along 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 PSP.
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 20:00–03:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (ONT, WJF, FAT, 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 13 kt | −2 kt | 8 °C | 122 kt | 3 h | 8:09 pm PDT (03:09 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 14 kt | −3 kt | 6 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 58 min | 8:07 pm PDT (03:07 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 18 kt | +1 kt | 4 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 04 min | 8:13 pm PDT (03:13 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | +2 kt | 0 °C | 118 kt | 3 h 06 min | 8:15 pm PDT (03:15 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +3 kt | -4 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 07 min | 8:16 pm PDT (03:16 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +5 kt | -7 °C | 115 kt | 3 h 10 min | 8:19 pm PDT (03:19 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +6 kt | -11 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 12 min | 8:21 pm PDT (03:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 27 kt | +7 kt | -13 °C | 113 kt | 3 h 14 min | 8:23 pm PDT (03:23 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 36 kt | +9 kt | -22 °C | 111 kt | 3 h 17 min | 8:26 pm PDT (03:26 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 45 kt | +5 kt | -28 °C | 115 kt | 3 h 10 min | 8:19 pm PDT (03:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 41 kt | +3 kt | -34 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 07 min | 8:16 pm PDT (03:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 44 kt | +6 kt | -44 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 12 min | 8:21 pm PDT (03:21 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONT | used from 0 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 230/11 | 200/17 6° | 230/27 4° | 230/32 -2° | 210/39 -12° | 220/51 -20° | 220/48 -29° | 210/51 -34° | 210/52 -44° |
| WJF | used from 49 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 220/30 8° | 240/28 5° | 230/34 -2° | 220/34 -13° | 220/48 -20° | 220/47 -29° | 210/48 -34° | 220/52 -44° | |
| FAT | used from 148 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 180/7 | 170/9 7° | 200/20 3° | 210/27 -3° | 240/27 -14° | 230/38 -24° | 220/57 -27° | 230/42 -33° | 230/41 -44° |
| SFO | used from 296 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 220/11 | L/V 5° | 280/7 1° | 270/15 -3° | 290/23 -14° | 310/29 -24° | 280/26 -28° | 250/30 -34° | 250/36 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSP Palm Springs, CA | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 476 ft | 4:53 pm PDT (23:53 UTC) |
| SBD San Bernardino, CA | 39 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,800 feet, a broken layer at 4,800 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 3,800 ft | 1,159 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| VCV Victorville, CA | 59 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 26 knots, gusting to 34 | 10+ mi | none | 2,885 ft | 23:50 UTC |
| MHV Mojave, CA | 109 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 14,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 21 knots, gusting to 32 | 10+ mi | 14,000 ft | 2,801 ft | 22:15 UTC |
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | 158 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 509 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| DLO Delano, CA | 178 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the northwest (310°) at 8 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 314 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| HJO Hanford, CA | 217 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line | VFR Weather: haze | from the south-southwest (210°) at 10 knots, gusting to 19 | 6 mi | none | 239 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| SNS Salinas, CA | 306 nm out, 24 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (290°) at 11 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 84 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| RHV San Jose, CA | 336 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the northwest (320°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 135 ft | 23:47 UTC |
| SFO San Francisco, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 13 ft | 4:56 pm PDT (23:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,885 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, 8:07 pm PDT (03:07 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SFO
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 16 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am PDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the east-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 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for PSP, the departure
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8887 Indio, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 15 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 12 October · ZLA
- 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 3 nm from the route, 346 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA
- 6/7455 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 10 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ended 11 October · ZOA
- 6/6741 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · ended 11 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at PSP 6:16 pm PDT (01:16 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SFO is after sunset there (6:38 pm PDT (01:38 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: Palm Springs International, San Francisco International.