John Wayne/Orange County to Charles M Schulz/Sonoma County SNA → STS
376 nautical miles (433 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 322°, about 310° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:10 am PDT (15:10 UTC). Right now SNA is VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 3 knots; STS is marginal 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: 1,476 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 119 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, 40 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 258 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
- B763 at 2,800 ft, 29 nm northeast, 5:05 am PDT (12:05 UTC): overcast from 1,500 ft to 6,000 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 26R. At the departure end, 29 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT080006/TM 1205/FL028/TP B763/SK OVC015-TOP060/RM DURD RY26R
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 6 nm east (080°) of ONT
- Time
- 12:05 UTC
- Height
- at 2,800 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- overcast from 1,500 ft, tops 6,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 26R
- A333 descending, 25 nm northeast, 4:05 am PDT (11:05 UTC): overcast from 1,500 ft to 7,000 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 26R. At the departure end, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT080/TM 1105/FLUNKN/TP A333/SK OVC015 - TOP070/RM DURD RY26R
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- ONT080
- Time
- 11:05 UTC
- Height
- height not given
- Aircraft
- A333
- Sky
- overcast from 1,500 ft, tops 7,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 26R
- B744 at 1,700 ft, 11 nm southwest, 2:24 am PDT (09:24 UTC): a few clouds above 1,700 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 25L lax. 30 nm along the route, 11 nm southwest 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 5 forecast points nearest it (ONT, WJF, SBA, FAT, SFO). 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 | 170° at 7 kt | −6 kt | 4 °C | 126 kt | 2 h 59 min | 8:10 am PDT (15:10 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 180° at 7 kt | −5 kt | 3 °C | 125 kt | 3 h | 8:11 am PDT (15:11 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 6 kt | −3 kt | 0 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 03 min | 8:14 am PDT (15:14 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 6 kt | +3 kt | -2 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 13 min | 8:24 am PDT (15:24 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 290° at 11 kt | +9 kt | -5 °C | 111 kt | 3 h 23 min | 8:34 am PDT (15:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 14 kt | +14 kt | -8 °C | 106 kt | 3 h 33 min | 8:44 am PDT (15:44 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | +18 kt | -11 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 41 min | 8:52 am PDT (15:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 22 kt | +22 kt | -13 °C | 98 kt | 3 h 50 min | 9:01 am PDT (16:01 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -23 °C | 95 kt | 3 h 57 min | 9:08 am PDT (16:08 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 24 kt | +17 kt | -33 °C | 103 kt | 3 h 39 min | 8:50 am PDT (15:50 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 32 kt | +9 kt | -39 °C | 111 kt | 3 h 23 min | 8:34 am PDT (15:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 38 kt | +2 kt | -45 °C | 118 kt | 3 h 11 min | 8:22 am PDT (15:22 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; 29 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; 29 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° | |
| SBA | used from 99 nm out; 56 nm from the line | L/V | 220/9 2° | 240/16 1° | 240/19 -3° | 260/25 -13° | 260/27 -24° | 230/37 -31° | 220/54 -37° | 220/52 -45° |
| FAT | used from 149 nm out; 54 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° |
| SFO | used from 248 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 090/9 | 050/12 4° | 010/17 -2° | 350/34 -3° | 360/70 -11° | 360/75 -22° | 350/57 -38° | 330/37 -42° | 280/25 -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 | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,500 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet | from the west (270°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 4,500 ft | 55 ft | 4:53 am PDT (11:53 UTC) |
| BUR Burbank, CA | 40 nm out, 0 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 4,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,000 ft | 778 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| SZP Santa Paula, CA | 69 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 250 ft | ||||
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | 119 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 5,500 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 509 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| MIT Shafter, CA | 129 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 424 ft | ||||
| LSN Los Banos, CA | 248 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 121 ft | ||||
| RHV San Jose, CA | 287 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the northwest (320°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 135 ft | 23:47 UTC |
| LVK Livermore, CA | 307 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 399 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| APC Napa, CA | 347 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the north (350°) at 3 knots | 8 mi | none | 35 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| STS Santa Rosa, CA | destination | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 128 ft | 4:53 am PDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 778 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At STS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:10 am PDT (15:10 UTC)
Wind from the northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for STS
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for SNA, the departure
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- At times between Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC) and 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 1 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at SNA 6:20 pm PDT (01:20 UTC), at STS 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 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, Charles M Schulz/Sonoma County.