Louisville Muhammad Ali International to John Wayne/Orange County SDF → SNA
1,577 nautical miles (1,815 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 270°, about 275° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 44 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 9:24 am PDT (16:24 UTC). 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: 358 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
- SIGMET 1W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm EDT (02:55 UTC). Over the route from 908 to 1128 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120055 MKCW WST 120055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 1W VALID UNTIL 0255Z CO NM WY AZ UT FROM 40NNW CHE-40WNW TBE-60WNW CME-40N SJN-40ESE MTU-40NNW CHE AREA SEV TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340. WIND GUSTS TO 60KT POSS.
- SIGMET 4W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 10:55 pm EDT (02:55 UTC). Over the route from 1208 to 1318 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120055 MKCW WST 120055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 4W VALID UNTIL 0255Z AZ FROM 60NE TBC-30S INW-100ESE BZA-70SE EED-50NW TBC-60NE TBC DMSHG AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 21020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 479 to 809 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 849 to 1338 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 888 to 928 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Near the route, 928 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 928 to 1118 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 978 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1188 to 1378 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1248 to 1348 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 1318 to 1487 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1418 to 1557 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 6E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 80 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 SDF.
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 15 forecast points nearest it (LOU, EVV, CGI, STL, COU, SGF, ICT, GCK, TCC, PUB, ALS, FMN, PRC, BLH, ONT). 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 19 kt | +13 kt | 21 °C | 107 kt | 14 h 44 min | 9:24 am PDT (16:24 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | +16 kt | 15 °C | 104 kt | 15 h 10 min | 9:50 am PDT (16:50 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | +21 kt | 11 °C | 99 kt | 15 h 56 min | 10:36 am PDT (17:36 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +23 kt | 7 °C | 97 kt | 16 h 15 min | 10:55 am PDT (17:55 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 3 °C | 95 kt | 16 h 36 min | 11:16 am PDT (18:16 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +26 kt | -1 °C | 94 kt | 16 h 47 min | 11:27 am PDT (18:27 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | +28 kt | -5 °C | 92 kt | 17 h 08 min | 11:48 am PDT (18:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 30 kt | +29 kt | -8 °C | 91 kt | 17 h 20 min | 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 36 kt | +35 kt | -19 °C | 85 kt | 18 h 33 min | 1:13 pm PDT (20:13 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 46 kt | +48 kt | -30 °C | 72 kt | 21 h 54 min | 4:34 pm PDT (23:34 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 50 kt | +52 kt | -38 °C | 68 kt | 23 h 11 min | 5:51 pm PDT (00:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 45 kt | +47 kt | -48 °C | 73 kt | 21 h 36 min | 4:16 pm PDT (23:16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOU | used from 0 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 320/15 | 340/24 14° | 330/28 9° | 340/34 4° | 340/37 -9° | 340/42 -20° | 320/39 -35° | 320/45 -39° | 330/40 -47° |
| EVV | used from 50 nm out; 12 nm from the line | 310/13 | 340/26 16° | 330/29 10° | 330/32 4° | 330/30 -9° | 340/38 -20° | 330/60 -35° | 320/57 -41° | 330/39 -48° |
| CGI | used from 150 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 250/10 | 290/12 17° | 290/18 11° | 300/22 5° | 320/25 -8° | 330/30 -18° | 320/53 -33° | 320/66 -42° | 320/56 -50° |
| STL | used from 200 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/16 17° | 270/21 10° | 280/24 5° | 310/20 -7° | 320/22 -18° | 320/44 -33° | 320/59 -43° | 310/69 -51° |
| COU | used from 250 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 210/16 | 220/19 15° | 240/33 10° | 250/29 7° | 280/21 -6° | 280/19 -18° | 300/34 -31° | 300/40 -42° | 300/60 -52° |
| SGF | used from 349 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 210/21 | 210/21 16° | 240/28 12° | 260/24 7° | 280/21 -6° | 280/26 -18° | 290/38 -31° | 290/37 -41° | 300/49 -52° |
| ICT | used from 449 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 190/34 | 210/34 18° | 240/28 13° | 260/23 7° | 250/23 -6° | 240/29 -17° | 260/40 -30° | 260/47 -40° | 270/42 -51° |
| GCK | used from 649 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 200/35 21° | 220/34 14° | 240/30 8° | 240/27 -6° | 240/31 -17° | 240/53 -30° | 250/55 -39° | 250/60 -50° | |
| TCC | used from 799 nm out; 108 nm from the line | 200/26 | 200/28 14° | 220/25 7° | 230/28 -7° | 240/41 -19° | 240/62 -28° | 250/61 -37° | 250/49 -49° | |
| PUB | used from 849 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 210/24 16° | 210/28 8° | 230/43 -8° | 240/42 -21° | 240/77 -30° | 240/72 -36° | 250/51 -47° | ||
| ALS | used from 898 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 210/32 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/49 -20° | 230/78 -30° | 240/74 -36° | 240/61 -47° | |||
| FMN | used from 998 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 220/25 13° | 220/28 4° | 210/51 -9° | 220/59 -21° | 230/78 -30° | 230/77 -36° | 230/66 -46° | ||
| PRC | used from 1198 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 200/36 6° | 210/46 0° | 220/60 -10° | 220/75 -19° | 220/66 -26° | 230/70 -33° | 230/59 -45° | ||
| BLH | used from 1398 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 230/22 | 210/24 11° | 230/23 5° | 230/26 0° | 220/38 -10° | 230/52 -19° | 220/58 -28° | 220/69 -34° | 220/59 -45° |
| ONT | used from 1497 nm out; 39 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDF Louisville, KY | departure | no report just now | 500 ft | ||||
| EVV Evansville, IN | 80 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 421 ft | ||||
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 299 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,159 ft | ||||
| OZS Camdenton, MO | 329 nm out, 1 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,061 ft | ||||
| ICT Wichita, KS | 559 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,332 ft | ||||
| MEJ Meade, KS | 699 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 2,527 ft | ||||
| RTN Raton, NM | 898 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 6,352 ft | ||||
| SKX Taos, NM | 958 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 7,094 ft | ||||
| FLG Flagstaff, AZ | 1258 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 7,014 ft | ||||
| HII Lake Havasu City, AZ | 1398 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 782 ft | ||||
| RIV Riverside, CA | 1547 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,536 ft | ||||
| SNA Santa Ana, CA | destination | no report just now | 55 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,094 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SNA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:24 am PDT (16:24 UTC)
SNA has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, 1398 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8887 Indio, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 25 nm from the route, 1497 nm along the route · security · until 12 October · ZLA
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 5 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at SNA 6:21 pm PDT (01:21 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:46 pm PDT (01:46 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: Louisville Muhammad Ali International, John Wayne/Orange County.
