Sacramento International to Baton Rouge Metro, Ryan Field SMF → BTR
1,574 nautical miles (1,811 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 099°, about 086° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 02 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 37-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:04 am CDT (16:04 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: 2 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 first 70 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 209 to 568 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 249 to 866 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 289 to 478 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 458 to 518 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). Near the route, 468 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 518 to 847 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 SMF.
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 eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 16 forecast points nearest it (SAC, RNO, BIH, ELY, LAS, BCE, FMN, ABQ, TCC, AMA, LBB, SPS, DAL, SHV, LCH, MSY). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 21 kt | −2 kt | 15 °C | 122 kt | 12 h 54 min | 1:56 pm CDT (18:56 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | −6 kt | 12 °C | 126 kt | 12 h 30 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | −8 kt | 8 °C | 128 kt | 12 h 18 min | 1:20 pm CDT (18:20 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | −9 kt | 4 °C | 129 kt | 12 h 12 min | 1:14 pm CDT (18:14 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | −10 kt | 0 °C | 130 kt | 12 h 06 min | 1:08 pm CDT (18:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | −11 kt | -4 °C | 131 kt | 12 h 01 min | 1:03 pm CDT (18:03 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | −12 kt | -8 °C | 132 kt | 11 h 55 min | 12:57 pm CDT (17:57 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 28 kt | −12 kt | -9 °C | 132 kt | 11 h 55 min | 12:57 pm CDT (17:57 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 37 kt | −19 kt | -19 °C | 139 kt | 11 h 19 min | 12:21 pm CDT (17:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 49 kt | −34 kt | -28 °C | 154 kt | 10 h 13 min | 11:15 am CDT (16:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 48 kt | −37 kt | -36 °C | 157 kt | 10 h 02 min | 11:04 am CDT (16:04 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 40 kt | −32 kt | -47 °C | 152 kt | 10 h 21 min | 11:23 am CDT (16:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAC | used from 0 nm out; 21 nm from the line | 110/6 | L/V 4° | 010/11 -2° | 350/11 -7° | 340/24 -16° | 360/44 -23° | 330/24 -30° | 270/21 -35° | 230/23 -43° |
| RNO | used from 50 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 010/9 | 320/10 -2° | 210/23 -9° | 210/34 -19° | 220/36 -25° | 230/31 -29° | 230/41 -33° | 230/38 -42° | |
| BIH | used from 100 nm out; 65 nm from the line | L/V | 240/7 1° | 190/13 -3° | 200/26 -16° | 210/43 -26° | 220/54 -28° | 220/51 -35° | 220/47 -43° | |
| ELY | used from 249 nm out; 99 nm from the line | 200/39 3° | 210/27 -2° | 210/45 -15° | 220/56 -24° | 210/60 -28° | 210/63 -34° | 220/61 -43° | ||
| LAS | used from 299 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 210/21 10° | 200/18 5° | 200/23 -2° | 210/49 -14° | 210/63 -21° | 220/58 -30° | 220/61 -35° | 210/56 -44° | |
| BCE | used from 349 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 220/27 -1° | 210/40 -13° | 220/54 -21° | 220/64 -30° | 220/64 -34° | 220/52 -44° | |||
| FMN | used from 548 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| ABQ | used from 697 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| TCC | used from 797 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 210/42 | 230/33 14° | 230/32 6° | 220/35 -6° | 230/49 -19° | 240/72 -27° | 250/62 -36° | 250/52 -48° | |
| AMA | used from 946 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 210/38 | 230/29 14° | 240/29 7° | 220/27 -5° | 240/37 -18° | 240/66 -28° | 250/59 -37° | 260/47 -49° | |
| LBB | used from 996 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 200/36 18° | 220/19 15° | 240/20 8° | 230/24 -4° | 240/37 -16° | 250/57 -28° | 250/51 -38° | 270/47 -50° | |
| SPS | used from 1095 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| DAL | used from 1195 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| SHV | used from 1344 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| LCH | used from 1444 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 160/21 | 160/18 18° | 180/13 12° | 230/6 8° | 280/10 -4° | 260/13 -14° | 310/29 -30° | 320/32 -40° | 330/33 -53° |
| MSY | used from 1544 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 110/5 | 150/6 19° | L/V 12° | 310/5 7° | 310/13 -4° | 290/20 -16° | 330/36 -31° | 330/37 -41° | 350/43 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMF Sacramento, CA | departure | no report just now | 26 ft | ||||
| PVF Placerville, CA | 40 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,585 ft | ||||
| TPH Tonopah, NV | 219 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 5,430 ft | ||||
| KNB Kanab, UT | 438 nm out, 13 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,867 ft | ||||
| PGA Page, AZ | 488 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 4,316 ft | ||||
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | 767 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,348 ft | ||||
| TCC Tucumcari, NM | 886 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 4,064 ft | ||||
| HRX Hereford, TX | 956 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,787 ft | ||||
| AFW Fort Worth, TX | 1225 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 723 ft | ||||
| HQZ Mesquite, TX | 1265 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 446 ft | ||||
| AEX Alexandria, LA | 1484 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 88 ft | ||||
| BTR Baton Rouge, LA | destination | no report just now | 69 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,348 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BTR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:04 am CDT (16:04 UTC)
BTR has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 17 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 1245 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 6 nm from the route, 1255 nm along the route · a VIP movement · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at SMF 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC), at BTR 6:36 pm CDT (23:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 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: Sacramento International, Baton Rouge Metro, Ryan Field.