John Wayne/Orange County to Lubbock Preston Smith International SNA → LBB
801 nautical miles (922 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 086°, about 074° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 60-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:34 am CDT (10:34 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SNA is VFR, wind calm; LBB is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 16 knots. 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
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 89 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 49 to 386 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 277 to 386 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 336 to 603 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 SNA.
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 6 forecast points nearest it (ONT, BLH, PHX, ABQ, ROW, LBB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 190° at 10 kt | −3 kt | 123 kt | 6 h 31 min | 7:38 am CDT (12:38 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 23 kt | −6 kt | 18 °C | 126 kt | 6 h 21 min | 7:28 am CDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 200° at 25 kt | −10 kt | 9 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 10 min | 7:17 am CDT (12:17 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 26 kt | −12 kt | 8 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 04 min | 7:11 am CDT (12:11 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 29 kt | −15 kt | 4 °C | 135 kt | 5 h 56 min | 7:03 am CDT (12:03 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 210° at 34 kt | −19 kt | 0 °C | 139 kt | 5 h 46 min | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 39 kt | −23 kt | -4 °C | 143 kt | 5 h 36 min | 6:43 am CDT (11:43 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 45 kt | −28 kt | -8 °C | 148 kt | 5 h 25 min | 6:32 am CDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 46 kt | −29 kt | -9 °C | 149 kt | 5 h 23 min | 6:30 am CDT (11:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 59 kt | −41 kt | -18 °C | 161 kt | 4 h 59 min | 6:06 am CDT (11:06 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 72 kt | −53 kt | -27 °C | 173 kt | 4 h 38 min | 5:45 am CDT (10:45 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 74 kt | −60 kt | -36 °C | 180 kt | 4 h 27 min | 5:34 am CDT (10:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 63 kt | −52 kt | -47 °C | 172 kt | 4 h 39 min | 5:46 am CDT (10:46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONT | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 190/8 | 190/19 6° | 210/23 4° | 210/29 -3° | 210/47 -13° | 210/49 -19° | 220/47 -30° | 220/50 -36° | 220/55 -43° |
| BLH | used from 99 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 210/13 | 200/21 11° | 200/22 5° | 210/25 -1° | 210/51 -10° | 220/61 -20° | 220/81 -29° | 220/92 -34° | 220/79 -45° |
| PHX | used from 247 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 150/5 | 200/21 12° | 200/27 6° | 200/35 3° | 220/58 -8° | 220/69 -19° | 220/87 -26° | 230/93 -35° | 230/79 -47° |
| ABQ | used from 445 nm out; 113 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| ROW | used from 593 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 190/33 | 210/27 14° | 220/28 6° | 230/36 -6° | 230/56 -15° | 230/63 -27° | 250/59 -37° | 260/57 -49° | |
| LBB | used from 742 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 200/36 18° | 220/19 15° | 240/20 8° | 230/24 -4° | 240/37 -16° | 250/57 -28° | 250/51 -38° | 270/47 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNA Santa Ana, CA | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,400 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 55 ft | 10:53 pm PDT (05:53 UTC) |
| PSP Palm Springs, CA | 69 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 476 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| TRM Palm Springs, CA | 89 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR Weather: light rain | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | -114 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| DVT Phoenix, AZ | 287 nm out, 14 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,500 feet | from the east (080°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 1,478 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PAN Payson, AZ | 326 nm out, 20 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 feet, a few clouds at 5,500 feet, scattered clouds at 6,500 feet | from the south (170°) at 8 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 5,160 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| JTC Springerville, AZ | 425 nm out, 12 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 7,055 ft | 05:50 UTC |
| ONM Socorro, NM | 544 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 4,875 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| SRR Ruidoso, NM | 613 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,813 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| LLN Levelland, TX | 771 nm out, 9 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 3,514 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| LBB Lubbock, TX | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 16 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,282 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,055 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LBB when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:34 am CDT (10:34 UTC)
Wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for LBB
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for SNA, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC) and 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 5 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZLA
- 6/8887 Indio, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 5 nm from the route, 79 nm along the route · security · until 12 October · ZLA
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 593 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
Daylight
Sunset at SNA 6:21 pm PDT (01:21 UTC), at LBB 7:16 pm CDT (00:16 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:41 pm CDT (00:41 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LBB is before sunrise there (7:49 am CDT (12:49 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: John Wayne/Orange County, Lubbock Preston Smith International.