Sacramento International to General Mitchell International SMF → MKE
1,541 nautical miles (1,774 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 070°, about 057° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:42 am CDT (16:42 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: 4 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 W16W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 27,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 1:55 am PDT (08:55 UTC). Over the route from 288 to 378 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120655 MKCW WST 120655 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 16W VALID UNTIL 0855Z UT NV FROM 50NW BVL-20NE BVL-40SE OAL-20N OAL-50NW BVL 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, from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 99 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft, from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 199 to 716 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 229 to 706 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft, from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 368 to 825 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft, from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 507 to 875 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots), from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 607 to 706 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), from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 617 to 776 nm out.
- 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), from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 885 to 1462 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), from 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 895 to 1024 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 14 forecast points nearest it (SAC, RNO, BAM, ELY, SLC, RKS, LND, BFF, ONL, FSD, MCW, LSE, DBQ, JOT). 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 | 220° at 18 kt | −13 kt | 20 °C | 133 kt | 11 h 35 min | 2:19 pm CDT (19:19 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 18 kt | −14 kt | 10 °C | 134 kt | 11 h 30 min | 2:14 pm CDT (19:14 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | −15 kt | 7 °C | 135 kt | 11 h 25 min | 2:09 pm CDT (19:09 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | −17 kt | 3 °C | 137 kt | 11 h 15 min | 1:59 pm CDT (18:59 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | −19 kt | -2 °C | 139 kt | 11 h 05 min | 1:49 pm CDT (18:49 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | −21 kt | -6 °C | 141 kt | 10 h 56 min | 1:40 pm CDT (18:40 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −23 kt | -10 °C | 143 kt | 10 h 47 min | 1:31 pm CDT (18:31 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 27 kt | −23 kt | -11 °C | 143 kt | 10 h 47 min | 1:31 pm CDT (18:31 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 33 kt | −27 kt | -23 °C | 147 kt | 10 h 29 min | 1:13 pm CDT (18:13 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 43 kt | −38 kt | -32 °C | 158 kt | 9 h 45 min | 12:29 pm CDT (17:29 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 49 kt | −48 kt | -37 °C | 168 kt | 9 h 10 min | 11:54 am CDT (16:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 52 kt | −52 kt | -46 °C | 172 kt | 8 h 58 min | 11:42 am CDT (16:42 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; 27 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; 27 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° | |
| BAM | used from 149 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 310/7 0° | 270/19 -7° | 200/38 -17° | 190/49 -28° | 220/69 -29° | 220/63 -33° | 230/48 -41° | ||
| ELY | used from 298 nm out; 65 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° | ||
| SLC | used from 348 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 200/5 | 230/8 2° | 220/20 -2° | 210/40 -12° | 190/53 -25° | 210/62 -30° | 220/69 -34° | 220/64 -43° | |
| RKS | used from 547 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| LND | used from 696 nm out; 117 nm from the line | 200/23 6° | 220/31 1° | 220/39 -11° | 230/39 -23° | 220/51 -28° | 220/66 -37° | 230/68 -45° | ||
| BFF | used from 746 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° | |
| ONL | used from 945 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| FSD | used from 1144 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| MCW | used from 1243 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| LSE | used from 1343 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| DBQ | used from 1392 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| JOT | used from 1492 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -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 | ||||
| TRK Truckee, CA | 80 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,904 ft | ||||
| TMT Austin, NV | 209 nm out, 23 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,735 ft | ||||
| SLC Salt Lake City, UT | 457 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,230 ft | ||||
| OGD Ogden, UT | 467 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,472 ft | ||||
| RWL Rawlins, WY | 686 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | no report just now | 6,816 ft | ||||
| GUR Guernsey, WY | 796 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,401 ft | ||||
| RBE Bassett, NE | 1024 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 2,349 ft | ||||
| VMR Vermillion, SD | 1144 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,146 ft | ||||
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 1343 nm out, 25 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 873 ft | ||||
| UES Waukesha, WI | 1522 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 911 ft | ||||
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | destination | no report just now | 728 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 MKE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:42 am CDT (16:42 UTC)
MKE 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 MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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, General Mitchell International.