Palm Springs International to Charles M Schulz/Sonoma County PSP → STS
415 nautical miles (478 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 314°, about 301° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 07 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 13-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:45 pm PDT (06:45 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PSP is VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 12 knots; STS is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) 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: 281 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 15,000 ft. Over the first 158 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 128 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 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 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 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 | 160° at 15 kt | −13 kt | 6 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 07 min | 11:45 pm PDT (06:45 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 170° at 15 kt | −12 kt | 5 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 09 min | 11:47 pm PDT (06:47 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 190° at 15 kt | −9 kt | 1 °C | 129 kt | 3 h 13 min | 11:51 pm PDT (06:51 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 15 kt | −4 kt | -2 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 21 min | 11:59 pm PDT (06:59 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | 0 | -6 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 28 min | 12:06 am PDT (07:06 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | +1 kt | -9 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 29 min | 12:07 am PDT (07:07 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | +3 kt | -12 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 33 min | 12:11 am PDT (07:11 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 14 kt | +5 kt | -14 °C | 115 kt | 3 h 37 min | 12:15 am PDT (07:15 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 15 kt | +11 kt | -23 °C | 109 kt | 3 h 48 min | 12:26 am PDT (07:26 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 26 kt | +7 kt | -30 °C | 113 kt | 3 h 40 min | 12:18 am PDT (07:18 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 34 kt | +3 kt | -36 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 33 min | 12:11 am PDT (07:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 39 kt | 0 | -44 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 28 min | 12:06 am PDT (07:06 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONT | used from 0 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 190/8 | 190/19 6° | 210/23 4° | 210/29 -3° | 210/47 -13° | 210/49 -19° | 220/47 -30° | 220/50 -36° | 220/55 -43° |
| WJF | used from 49 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 200/28 6° | 210/28 3° | 210/29 -4° | 210/28 -14° | 220/41 -20° | 220/47 -29° | 220/46 -37° | 220/53 -44° | |
| FAT | used from 148 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 130/16 | 160/20 5° | 190/28 -1° | 210/25 -5° | 220/27 -15° | 230/21 -26° | 220/42 -29° | 220/44 -35° | 220/44 -44° |
| SFO | used from 296 nm out; 51 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° |
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 | from the northwest (320°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 476 ft | 7:53 pm PDT (02:53 UTC) |
| SBD San Bernardino, CA | 40 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 3,100 feet, overcast at 3,800 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 3,100 ft | 1,159 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| VCV Victorville, CA | 59 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 20 knots, gusting to 28 | 10+ mi | none | 2,885 ft | 03:35 UTC |
| MHV Mojave, CA | 109 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 16 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,801 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | 158 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (360°) at 15 knots, gusting to 21 | 9 mi | none | 509 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| TLR Tulare, CA | 198 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 265 ft | ||||
| FAT Fresno, CA | 237 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,100 feet | from the south (190°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 3,100 ft | 335 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| MER Atwater, CA | 287 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 190 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| MOD Modesto, CA | 316 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,500 feet | from the west (270°) at 5 knots | 7 mi | none | 99 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| CCR Concord, CA | 366 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 25 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| APC Napa, CA | 385 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 35 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| STS Santa Rosa, CA | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 128 ft | 7:53 pm PDT (02:53 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 STS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:45 pm PDT (06:45 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for STS
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 am PDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 2 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 pm PDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 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
- 6/8783 38NM NE BAKERSFIELD, CA, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Friday, October 23, 2026 UTC 14 nm from the route, 148 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 23 October · ZLA
- 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 346 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at PSP 6:16 pm PDT (01:16 UTC), at STS 6:37 pm PDT (01:37 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:04 pm PDT (02:04 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at STS is before sunrise there (7:17 am PDT (14:17 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, Charles M Schulz/Sonoma County.