Sacramento International to Erie Intl/Tom Ridge Field SMF → ERI
1,886 nautical miles (2,171 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 070°, about 057° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 11 h 14 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 48-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:42 pm EDT (22:42 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
- SIGMET W21W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 27,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 5:55 am PDT (12:55 UTC). Near the route, 419 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 121055 MKCW WST 121055 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 21W VALID UNTIL 1255Z UT ID NV FROM 40ENE TWF-20SSE PIH-40E BVL-20WNW BVL-40ENE TWF AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL270.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 170 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 200 to 689 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 230 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 459 to 539 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 529 to 828 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 669 to 898 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 669 to 709 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 679 to 788 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 868 to 1078 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 1038 to 1387 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 210 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 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 15 forecast points nearest it (SAC, RNO, BAM, ELY, SLC, RKS, BFF, ONL, FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT, MKG, FWA, CLE). 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 | 260° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 22 °C | 138 kt | 13 h 40 min | 9:08 pm EDT (01:08 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −17 kt | 11 °C | 137 kt | 13 h 46 min | 9:14 pm EDT (01:14 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −19 kt | 7 °C | 139 kt | 13 h 34 min | 9:02 pm EDT (01:02 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | −22 kt | 2 °C | 142 kt | 13 h 17 min | 8:45 pm EDT (00:45 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −23 kt | -2 °C | 143 kt | 13 h 11 min | 8:39 pm EDT (00:39 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −23 kt | -7 °C | 143 kt | 13 h 11 min | 8:39 pm EDT (00:39 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −23 kt | -11 °C | 143 kt | 13 h 11 min | 8:39 pm EDT (00:39 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 24 kt | −23 kt | -12 °C | 143 kt | 13 h 11 min | 8:39 pm EDT (00:39 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 31 kt | −30 kt | -22 °C | 150 kt | 12 h 34 min | 8:02 pm EDT (00:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 39 kt | −39 kt | -33 °C | 159 kt | 11 h 52 min | 7:20 pm EDT (23:20 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 44 kt | −45 kt | -38 °C | 165 kt | 11 h 26 min | 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 45 kt | −48 kt | -46 °C | 168 kt | 11 h 14 min | 6:42 pm EDT (22:42 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; 27 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; 28 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 150 nm out; 79 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 299 nm out; 61 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 349 nm out; 87 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° | |
| RKS | used from 549 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 250/9 | 230/21 -1° | 210/43 -14° | 220/59 -23° | 220/55 -32° | 220/53 -35° | 220/48 -44° | ||
| BFF | used from 699 nm out; 121 nm from the line | 280/28 | 260/39 11° | 240/34 5° | 210/38 -11° | 210/52 -22° | 230/61 -31° | 230/61 -36° | 240/56 -45° | |
| ONL | used from 948 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 250/31 22° | 230/27 16° | 220/25 8° | 230/25 -9° | 220/29 -22° | 250/42 -33° | 250/48 -36° | 250/52 -46° | |
| FSD | used from 1148 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| MCW | used from 1198 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| DBQ | used from 1347 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| JOT | used from 1497 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| MKG | used from 1547 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 260/28 | 260/18 15° | 250/16 9° | 260/22 4° | 280/31 -9° | 270/35 -21° | 270/44 -35° | 270/42 -45° | 290/61 -51° |
| FWA | used from 1697 nm out; 104 nm from the line | 270/20 | 300/16 15° | 290/14 10° | 280/17 3° | 290/25 -7° | 280/30 -19° | 280/34 -35° | 290/48 -44° | 300/64 -52° |
| CLE | used from 1747 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/20 14° | 340/16 9° | 320/21 2° | 320/32 -8° | 330/34 -20° | 330/45 -36° | 320/60 -45° | 320/64 -51° |
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 | ||||
| TRK Truckee, CA | 80 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,904 ft | ||||
| ENV Wendover, UT | 369 nm out, 12 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,236 ft | ||||
| SLC Salt Lake City, UT | 459 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,230 ft | ||||
| RWL Rawlins, WY | 689 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 6,816 ft | ||||
| GUR Guernsey, WY | 798 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,401 ft | ||||
| ONL O'Neill, NE | 1068 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | no report just now | 2,033 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 1168 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| JVL Janesville, WI | 1487 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 807 ft | ||||
| ENW Kenosha, WI | 1537 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| DET Detroit, MI | 1757 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 624 ft | ||||
| ERI Erie, PA | destination | no report just now | 732 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,816 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ERI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:42 pm EDT (22:42 UTC)
ERI 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 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at SMF 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC), at ERI 6:44 pm EDT (22:44 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:12 pm EDT (23:12 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, Erie Intl/Tom Ridge Field.