Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport SMX → MSP
1,382 nautical miles (1,590 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 056°, about 042° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 02 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:46 am CDT (14:46 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 below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 109 to 219 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Near the route, 189 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 229 to 885 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 278 to 646 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 308 to 755 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 477 to 934 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 616 to 825 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 656 to 696 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 944 to 1262 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). Over the route from 944 to 1014 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 SMX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 31,000 ft, 48 nm southeast, 11:15 pm PDT (06:15 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: mountain wave zlc. 517 nm along the route, 48 nm southeast 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
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 15 forecast points nearest it (SBA, WJF, BIH, LAS, ELY, BCE, SLC, GJT, RKS, DEN, BFF, PIR, ONL, FSD, MSP). 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 | 200° at 21 kt | −16 kt | 13 °C | 136 kt | 10 h 10 min | 11:54 am CDT (16:54 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 26 kt | −22 kt | 10 °C | 142 kt | 9 h 44 min | 11:28 am CDT (16:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | −24 kt | 8 °C | 144 kt | 9 h 36 min | 11:20 am CDT (16:20 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 27 kt | −25 kt | 3 °C | 145 kt | 9 h 32 min | 11:16 am CDT (16:16 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | −27 kt | -1 °C | 147 kt | 9 h 24 min | 11:08 am CDT (16:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 31 kt | −29 kt | -6 °C | 149 kt | 9 h 17 min | 11:01 am CDT (16:01 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 32 kt | −31 kt | -10 °C | 151 kt | 9 h 09 min | 10:53 am CDT (15:53 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 33 kt | −31 kt | -11 °C | 151 kt | 9 h 09 min | 10:53 am CDT (15:53 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 43 kt | −41 kt | -22 °C | 161 kt | 8 h 35 min | 10:19 am CDT (15:19 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 48 kt | −46 kt | -31 °C | 166 kt | 8 h 20 min | 10:04 am CDT (15:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 51 kt | −52 kt | -37 °C | 172 kt | 8 h 02 min | 9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 51 kt | −52 kt | -45 °C | 172 kt | 8 h 02 min | 9:46 am CDT (14:46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBA | used from 0 nm out; 43 nm from the line | L/V | 190/13 5° | 210/20 2° | 220/22 -3° | 260/19 -13° | 230/35 -22° | 220/43 -28° | 220/46 -36° | 220/45 -44° |
| WJF | used from 50 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 200/28 6° | 210/28 3° | 210/29 -4° | 210/28 -14° | 220/41 -20° | 220/47 -29° | 220/46 -37° | 220/53 -44° | |
| BIH | used from 149 nm out; 69 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° | |
| LAS | used from 199 nm out; 86 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° | |
| ELY | used from 298 nm out; 92 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 398 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° | |||
| SLC | used from 497 nm out; 92 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° | |
| GJT | used from 547 nm out; 86 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° | ||
| RKS | used from 646 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| DEN | used from 745 nm out; 111 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° | ||
| BFF | used from 795 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° | |
| PIR | used from 994 nm out; 96 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| ONL | used from 1093 nm out; 64 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 1143 nm out; 54 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° |
| MSP | used from 1292 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMX Santa Maria, CA | departure | no report just now | 261 ft | ||||
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | 80 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 509 ft | ||||
| BTY Beatty, NV | 219 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | no report just now | 3,169 ft | ||||
| FOM Fillmore, UT | 457 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,984 ft | ||||
| VEL Vernal, UT | 616 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 5,274 ft | ||||
| LAR Laramie, WY | 795 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 7,283 ft | ||||
| TOR Torrington, WY | 875 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,206 ft | ||||
| ICR Winner, SD | 1083 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,032 ft | ||||
| MHE Mitchell, SD | 1163 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,304 ft | ||||
| RWF Redwood Falls, MN | 1302 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,023 ft | ||||
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | destination | no report just now | 841 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,283 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC)
MSP has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8783 38NM NE BAKERSFIELD, CA, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Friday, October 23, 2026 UTC 14 nm from the route, 109 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 23 October · ZLA
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at SMX 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC), at MSP 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm CDT (00:03 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: Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan Hancock Field, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.