Reno/Tahoe International to San Francisco International RNO → SFO
167 nautical miles (192 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 228°, about 215° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 6:13 pm PDT (01:13 UTC). Right now RNO is VFR, wind variable at 6 knots; SFO is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23. 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: 3,817 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 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Near the route, 29 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 RNO.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- PC24 at 11,000 ft, 15 nm southeast, 2:23 pm PDT (21:23 UTC): light to moderate turbulence from 9,000 ft to 11,000 ft, remarks: during the descent RY35L rno. 10 nm along the route, 15 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
RNO UA /OV KRNO167020/TM 2123/FL110/TP PC24/TB CONT LGT OCNL MOD 110-090/RM DURD RY35L RNO
- Report
- a routine report filed through RNO
- Where
- 20 nm south (167°) of KRNO
- Time
- 21:23 UTC
- Height
- at 11,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC24
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate from 11,000 ft to 9,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent RY35L rno
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 3 forecast points nearest it (RNO, 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 | 290° at 3 kt | +2 kt | 118 kt | 1 h 25 min | 6:14 pm PDT (01:14 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 300° at 2 kt | +1 kt | 4 °C | 119 kt | 1 h 24 min | 6:13 pm PDT (01:13 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 270° at 4 kt | +3 kt | 0 °C | 117 kt | 1 h 26 min | 6:15 pm PDT (01:15 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 9 kt | +9 kt | -3 °C | 111 kt | 1 h 30 min | 6:19 pm PDT (01:19 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +15 kt | -6 °C | 105 kt | 1 h 35 min | 6:24 pm PDT (01:24 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +18 kt | -9 °C | 102 kt | 1 h 38 min | 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +21 kt | -12 °C | 99 kt | 1 h 41 min | 6:30 pm PDT (01:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 24 kt | +24 kt | -15 °C | 96 kt | 1 h 44 min | 6:33 pm PDT (01:33 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 27 kt | +24 kt | -25 °C | 96 kt | 1 h 44 min | 6:33 pm PDT (01:33 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 36 kt | +33 kt | -28 °C | 87 kt | 1 h 55 min | 6:44 pm PDT (01:44 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 44 kt | +43 kt | -33 °C | 77 kt | 2 h 10 min | 6:59 pm PDT (01:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 43 kt | +42 kt | -42 °C | 78 kt | 2 h 08 min | 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RNO | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 320/7 | 260/13 1° | 230/21 -7° | 210/38 -17° | 220/43 -26° | 230/54 -29° | 230/59 -32° | 230/54 -41° | |
| SAC | used from 49 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 270/5 | L/V 5° | L/V -1° | 240/11 -5° | 250/22 -15° | 270/25 -24° | 260/31 -27° | 240/39 -33° | 240/39 -42° |
| SFO | used from 147 nm out; 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RNO Reno, NV | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet | variable at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,414 ft | 3:55 pm PDT (22:55 UTC) |
| TRK Truckee, CA | 20 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,500 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 17 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,904 ft | 22:47 UTC |
| PVF Placerville, CA | 69 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 2,585 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| MHR Sacramento, CA | 88 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 98 ft | 22:15 UTC |
| CCR Concord, CA | 137 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 25 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| SFO San Francisco, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 13 ft | 3:56 pm PDT (22:56 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 SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:13 pm PDT (01:13 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 16 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 RNO, the departure
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm PDT (05:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am PDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6740 SACRAMENTO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local on the route, 88 nm along the route · air shows/sports · until 11 October · ZOA
- 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 22 nm from the route, 157 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 8 nm from the route, 157 nm along the route · security · until 11 October · ZOA
- 6/6741 SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, 157 nm along the route · air shows/sports · until 11 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at RNO 6:24 pm PDT (01:24 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 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: Reno/Tahoe International, San Francisco International.