John Wayne/Orange County to Portland International SNA → PDX
748 nautical miles (860 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 344°, about 332° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 10-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:46 am PDT (16:46 UTC). Right now SNA is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 3 knots; PDX 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: 3,078 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 SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 289 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Near the route, 50 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 568 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 SNA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B744 at 1,700 ft, 22 nm west, 2:24 am PDT (09:24 UTC): a few clouds above 1,700 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 25L lax. At the departure end, 22 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
LAX UA /OV KLAX/TM 0924/FL017/TP B744/SK FEW017/RM DURD RY25L LAX
- Report
- a routine report filed through LAX
- Where
- over KLAX
- Time
- 09:24 UTC
- Height
- at 1,700 ft
- Aircraft
- B744
- Sky
- a few clouds from 1,700 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 25L lax
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 westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 8 forecast points nearest it (ONT, WJF, FAT, BIH, RNO, LKV, RDM, PDX). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 240° at 3 kt | −1 kt | 1 °C | 121 kt | 6 h 11 min | 10:12 am PDT (17:12 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 4 kt | −1 kt | 1 °C | 121 kt | 6 h 11 min | 10:12 am PDT (17:12 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 290° at 3 kt | +2 kt | -4 °C | 118 kt | 6 h 20 min | 10:21 am PDT (17:21 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 290° at 5 kt | +2 kt | -6 °C | 118 kt | 6 h 20 min | 10:21 am PDT (17:21 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 7 kt | +5 kt | -9 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 30 min | 10:31 am PDT (17:31 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 12 kt | +11 kt | -12 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 52 min | 10:53 am PDT (17:53 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 330° at 18 kt | +17 kt | -15 °C | 103 kt | 7 h 16 min | 11:17 am PDT (18:17 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 330° at 22 kt | +21 kt | -17 °C | 99 kt | 7 h 33 min | 11:34 am PDT (18:34 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 340° at 36 kt | +36 kt | -24 °C | 84 kt | 8 h 54 min | 12:55 pm PDT (19:55 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 28 kt | +24 kt | -34 °C | 96 kt | 7 h 48 min | 11:49 am PDT (18:49 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 26 kt | +5 kt | -38 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 30 min | 10:31 am PDT (17:31 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 29 kt | −10 kt | -43 °C | 130 kt | 5 h 45 min | 9:46 am PDT (16:46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONT | used from 0 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 250/11 | 200/20 4° | 210/27 3° | 220/26 -4° | 240/32 -13° | 220/52 -21° | 220/67 -30° | 220/72 -37° | 220/65 -46° |
| WJF | used from 50 nm out; 8 nm from the line | 210/26 4° | 210/28 2° | 230/23 -4° | 240/28 -13° | 220/47 -23° | 220/57 -30° | 220/65 -37° | 220/59 -45° | |
| FAT | used from 150 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 140/11 | 180/15 3° | 150/14 -3° | 200/14 -6° | 240/17 -16° | 320/25 -23° | 270/22 -31° | 240/29 -37° | 230/36 -44° |
| BIH | used from 199 nm out; 37 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 0° | 140/7 -7° | 210/31 -16° | 230/34 -26° | 220/43 -30° | 220/52 -36° | 220/46 -43° | |
| RNO | used from 299 nm out; 38 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° | |
| LKV | used from 449 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 010/10 -8° | 360/20 -11° | 360/58 -19° | 360/92 -25° | 350/69 -37° | 310/34 -37° | 240/26 -41° | ||
| RDM | used from 598 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 360/14 -2° | 020/25 -8° | 360/34 -13° | 360/75 -16° | 360/88 -25° | 360/80 -39° | 350/47 -42° | 360/11 -43° | |
| PDX | used from 698 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | 340/8 0° | 360/12 -6° | 010/30 -7° | 360/62 -15° | 360/67 -26° | 360/68 -40° | 350/61 -48° | 340/26 -44° |
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 | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, scattered clouds at 2,400 feet, overcast at 2,800 feet Weather: light rain | from the northwest (320°) at 3 knots | 8 mi | 2,800 ft | 55 ft | 3:53 am PDT (10:53 UTC) |
| EMT El Monte, CA | 30 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 295 ft | 02:45 UTC |
| MHV Mojave, CA | 80 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 3,800 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 14 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 2,801 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| PTV Porterville, CA | 150 nm out, 18 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 443 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| MMH Mammoth Lakes, CA | 239 nm out, 19 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,100 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 7,134 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| RNO Reno, NV | 359 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,500 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (050°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 4,414 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| SVE Susanville, CA | 419 nm out, 12 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 9,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 4,149 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| AAT Alturas, CA | 488 nm out, 9 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 4,378 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| UAO Aurora, OR | 728 nm out, 14 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 199 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| PDX Portland, OR | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 30 ft | 3:53 am PDT (10:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,134 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PDX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:46 am PDT (16:46 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 300 feet VFR
The whole forecast for PDX
- From Mon 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, 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 300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 4 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 on the route, at the departure end · security · ZLA
- 6/8783 38NM NE BAKERSFIELD, CA, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Friday, October 23, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 120 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 23 October · ZLA
- 6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 9 nm from the route, 259 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at SNA 6:20 pm PDT (01:20 UTC), at PDX 6:28 pm PDT (01:28 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm PDT (01:58 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, Portland International.