Sacramento International to Montrose Regional SMF → MTJ
642 nautical miles (739 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 087°, about 074° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 34-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:07 am MDT (11:07 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SMF is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots; MTJ is VFR, wind calm. 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 79 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 198 to 622 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 207 to 553 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 375 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the last 188 nm of the route.
- 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 last 20 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
- PC12 at 17,000 ft, 48 nm south, 9:52 pm PDT (04:52 UTC): moderate turbulence, moderate rime icing, -15 °C, remarks: entered by zoa fdcs. 178 nm along the route, 48 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TPH UA /OV OAL/TM 0452/FL 170/TP PC12/TA M15/TB MOD/IC MOD RIME/RM ENTERED BY ZOA FDCS AWC-WEB
- Report
- a routine report filed through TPH
- Where
- over OAL
- Time
- 04:52 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Temperature
- −15 °C
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Icing
- moderate rime
- Remarks
- entered by zoa fdcs
- A321 at 31,000 ft, 5 nm west, 11:15 pm PDT (06:15 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: mountain wave zlc. 514 nm along the route, 5 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
CNY UA /OV HVE340015/TM 0615/FL310/TP A321/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CHOP /RM MTN WAVE /ZLC
- Report
- a routine report filed through CNY
- Where
- 15 nm north (340°) of HVE
- Time
- 06:15 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- occasional light to moderate chop
- Remarks
- mountain wave zlc
- E170 at 4,800 ft, 34 nm north, 11:31 pm PDT (06:31 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, clear from 4,800 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc. 613 nm along the route, 34 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
GJT UA /OV GJT/TM 0631/FL048/TP E170/SK SKC/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM DURD RNAV Y 11 LGJT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through GJT
- Where
- over GJT
- Time
- 06:31 UTC
- Height
- at 4,800 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc
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 6 forecast points nearest it (SAC, RNO, BIH, ELY, BCE, GJT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 23 kt | −10 kt | 4 °C | 130 kt | 4 h 56 min | 5:53 am MDT (11:53 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 23 kt | −11 kt | 1 °C | 131 kt | 4 h 54 min | 5:51 am MDT (11:51 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | −15 kt | -2 °C | 135 kt | 4 h 45 min | 5:42 am MDT (11:42 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | −16 kt | -6 °C | 136 kt | 4 h 43 min | 5:40 am MDT (11:40 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 32 kt | −18 kt | -10 °C | 138 kt | 4 h 39 min | 5:36 am MDT (11:36 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 210° at 36 kt | −19 kt | -14 °C | 139 kt | 4 h 37 min | 5:34 am MDT (11:34 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 210° at 37 kt | −20 kt | -15 °C | 140 kt | 4 h 35 min | 5:32 am MDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 45 kt | −29 kt | -23 °C | 149 kt | 4 h 19 min | 5:16 am MDT (11:16 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 50 kt | −31 kt | -29 °C | 151 kt | 4 h 15 min | 5:12 am MDT (11:12 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 54 kt | −34 kt | -34 °C | 154 kt | 4 h 10 min | 5:07 am MDT (11:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 50 kt | −33 kt | -43 °C | 153 kt | 4 h 12 min | 5:09 am MDT (11:09 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; 24 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 49 nm out; 46 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 148 nm out; 89 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 198 nm out; 98 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° | ||
| BCE | used from 395 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 220/27 -1° | 210/40 -13° | 220/54 -21° | 220/64 -30° | 220/64 -34° | 220/52 -44° | |||
| GJT | used from 543 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 210/43 7° | 230/45 1° | 220/49 -12° | 220/62 -22° | 220/59 -28° | 230/60 -33° | 220/55 -45° |
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 | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 26 ft | 11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC) |
| PVF Placerville, CA | 40 nm out, 0 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 2,585 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| TVL South Lake Tahoe, CA | 79 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 6,268 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| GAB Gabbs, NV | 168 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,699 ft | ||||
| RIF Richfield, UT | 445 nm out, 0 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet | from the north (360°) at 2 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,318 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| CNY Moab, UT | 553 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 11,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 4,579 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| AIB Nucla, CO | 613 nm out, 19 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,000 feet Weather: haze | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 1.5 mi | none | 5,945 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| MTJ Montrose, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,758 ft | 12:53 am MDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,268 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MTJ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:07 am MDT (11:07 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MTJ
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
The forecast for SMF, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 16 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at SMF 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC), at MTJ 6:36 pm MDT (00:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm MDT (01:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MTJ is before sunrise there (7:17 am MDT (13:17 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, Montrose Regional.