Sacramento International to St. Louis Downtown Airport SMF → CPS
1,467 nautical miles (1,688 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 080°, about 067° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 56-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:17 pm CDT (19:17 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: 1 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 160 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 60 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 200 to 669 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 210 to 719 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 299 to 619 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 449 to 838 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). Over the route from 599 to 669 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 629 to 798 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). Over the route from 798 to 858 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 968 to 1397 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 08:00–15:00 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 12 forecast points nearest it (SAC, RNO, BAM, ELY, SLC, GJT, DEN, GLD, SLN, MKC, COU, STL). 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 | 250° at 22 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 10 h 33 min | 4:30 pm CDT (21:30 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | −17 kt | 9 °C | 137 kt | 10 h 42 min | 4:39 pm CDT (21:39 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | −17 kt | 6 °C | 137 kt | 10 h 42 min | 4:39 pm CDT (21:39 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −19 kt | 2 °C | 139 kt | 10 h 33 min | 4:30 pm CDT (21:30 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −21 kt | -2 °C | 141 kt | 10 h 24 min | 4:21 pm CDT (21:21 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | −23 kt | -6 °C | 143 kt | 10 h 16 min | 4:13 pm CDT (21:13 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | −25 kt | -11 °C | 145 kt | 10 h 07 min | 4:04 pm CDT (21:04 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 32 kt | −26 kt | -12 °C | 146 kt | 10 h 03 min | 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 37 kt | −31 kt | -22 °C | 151 kt | 9 h 43 min | 3:40 pm CDT (20:40 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 55 kt | −51 kt | -31 °C | 171 kt | 8 h 35 min | 2:32 pm CDT (19:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 59 kt | −56 kt | -37 °C | 176 kt | 8 h 20 min | 2:17 pm CDT (19:17 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 54 kt | −52 kt | -46 °C | 172 kt | 8 h 32 min | 2:29 pm CDT (19:29 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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; 25 nm from the line | L/V | L/V 4° | 340/9 -4° | 340/22 -8° | 360/71 -12° | 360/82 -23° | 350/58 -37° | 310/30 -40° | 270/25 -44° |
| RNO | used from 50 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 010/6 | 270/12 -3° | 220/26 -10° | 280/13 -19° | 350/44 -24° | 320/30 -32° | 260/22 -36° | 240/24 -42° | |
| BAM | used from 200 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 280/9 -2° | 260/18 -8° | 190/47 -19° | 200/50 -29° | 210/56 -29° | 220/54 -34° | 220/45 -42° | ||
| ELY | used from 250 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 210/34 1° | 220/40 -4° | 220/39 -17° | 210/51 -24° | 220/65 -30° | 220/60 -37° | 220/56 -44° | ||
| SLC | used from 399 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 200/16 | 210/23 4° | 220/34 -3° | 210/40 -16° | 220/66 -23° | 220/64 -31° | 220/57 -36° | 220/50 -43° | |
| GJT | used from 499 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 220/26 6° | 230/39 0° | 220/55 -13° | 230/60 -23° | 230/78 -31° | 230/80 -35° | 230/74 -44° | ||
| DEN | used from 699 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° | ||
| GLD | used from 848 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 260/37 | 260/25 14° | 250/27 8° | 230/36 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 250/71 -30° | 260/82 -36° | 250/73 -48° | |
| SLN | used from 1048 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/49 | 240/41 22° | 230/26 15° | 220/21 7° | 240/38 -8° | 240/44 -21° | 260/77 -29° | 270/70 -36° | 270/63 -48° |
| MKC | used from 1198 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 240/49 | 240/21 20° | 220/19 13° | 230/21 6° | 260/26 -7° | 250/37 -19° | 270/66 -31° | 270/65 -38° | 280/60 -48° |
| COU | used from 1297 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 250/36 | 260/14 16° | 250/5 12° | 260/12 6° | 260/24 -7° | 260/35 -19° | 280/58 -31° | 280/62 -40° | 290/60 -49° |
| STL | used from 1397 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/21 15° | 240/22 11° | 250/23 6° | 270/28 -7° | 260/30 -19° | 280/52 -31° | 280/57 -40° | 300/57 -49° |
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 | ||||
| TVL South Lake Tahoe, CA | 80 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 6,268 ft | ||||
| GAB Gabbs, NV | 170 nm out, 12 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,699 ft | ||||
| ELY Ely, NV | 319 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | no report just now | 6,259 ft | ||||
| PUC Price, UT | 509 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | no report just now | 5,957 ft | ||||
| EGE Eagle, CO | 689 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,547 ft | ||||
| CFO Denver, CO | 798 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,515 ft | ||||
| CBK Colby, KS | 958 nm out, 9 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,188 ft | ||||
| MHK Manhattan, KS | 1158 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,066 ft | ||||
| MKC Kansas City, MO | 1257 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 756 ft | ||||
| COU Columbia, MO | 1367 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 889 ft | ||||
| CPS Cahokia/St Louis, IL | destination | no report just now | 412 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,547 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CPS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:17 pm CDT (19:17 UTC)
CPS 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 15 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 17 nm from the route, 1367 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at SMF 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC), at CPS 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 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, St. Louis Downtown Airport.