The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 9:45 am CDT (14:45 UTC)

Tulsa International to Sacramento International TUL → SMF

1,230 nautical miles (1,416 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 285°, about 282° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 11 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now TUL is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 13 knots; SMF 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: 2 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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

  • SIGMET W28W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the south at 35 knots, until 10:55 am CDT (15:55 UTC). Over the route from 913 to 923 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 121355
    MKCW WST 121355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 28W
    VALID UNTIL 1555Z
    UT NV
    FROM 30SSW ELY-20E ILC-70NNE LAS-60ENE BTY-30SSW ELY
    AREA TS MOV FROM 20035KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 99 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 347 to 774 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 417 to 605 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 536 to 1062 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 615 to 724 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 665 to 1071 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 833 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 198 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1121 to 1151 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 TUL.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • F2TH at 36,300 ft, 37 nm north, 8:15 am CDT (13:15 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence above 36,300 ft, wind 255° at 90 knots. 427 nm along the route, 37 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    PUB UA /OV PUB /TM 1315 /FL363 /TP F2TH /WV 25590KT /TB MOD CAT 363
    Report
    a routine report filed through PUB
    Where
    over PUB
    Time
    13:15 UTC
    Height
    at 36,300 ft
    Aircraft
    F2TH
    Wind
    from 255° at 90 knots
    Turbulence
    moderate clear-air turbulence at 36,300 ft
  • E170 at 26,000 ft, 5 nm east, 7:34 am CDT (12:34 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZFW50. At the departure end, 5 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    TUL UA /OV TUL/TM 1234/FL260/TP E170/TB LGT TO MOD CHOP/RM ZFW50
    Report
    a routine report filed through TUL
    Where
    over TUL
    Time
    12:34 UTC
    Height
    at 26,000 ft
    Aircraft
    E170
    Turbulence
    light to moderate chop
    Remarks
    ZFW50
  • BE20 at 16,000 ft, 6 nm north, 8:38 am CDT (13:38 UTC): light turbulence, light rime icing, -2 °C, remarks: zkcfdc xj. 218 nm along the route, 6 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    LBL UA /OV LBL070035/TM 1338/FL160/TP BE20/TA M02/TB LGT/IC LGT RIME/RM /ZKCFDC XJ
    Report
    a routine report filed through LBL
    Where
    35 nm east (070°) of LBL
    Time
    13:38 UTC
    Height
    at 16,000 ft
    Aircraft
    BE20
    Temperature
    −2 °C
    Turbulence
    light
    Icing
    light rime
    Remarks
    zkcfdc xj
  • B737 at 15,000 ft, 28 nm south, 7:12 am CDT (12:12 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: continuous light turbulence occasional moderate chop entered by zoa fdcs. 1121 nm along the route, 28 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    FAT UA /OV FMG150080/TM 1212/FL150/TP B737/TB LGT/RM CONS LGT TURB OCNL MOD CHOP ENTERED BY ZOA FDCS
    Report
    a routine report filed through FAT
    Where
    80 nm southeast (150°) of FMG
    Time
    12:12 UTC
    Height
    at 15,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    light
    Remarks
    continuous light turbulence occasional moderate chop entered by zoa fdcs
  • B738 at 14,000 ft, 32 nm north, 7:38 am CDT (12:38 UTC): light icing, -2 °C. 1131 nm along the route, 32 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    RNO UA /OV RNO130020/TM 1238/FL140/TP B738/TA M02/IC LGT RM
    Report
    a routine report filed through RNO
    Where
    20 nm southeast (130°) of RNO
    Time
    12:38 UTC
    Height
    at 14,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B738
    Temperature
    −2 °C
    Icing
    light remarks
  • B38M at 11,000 ft, 35 nm north, 7:30 am CDT (12:30 UTC): light rime icing, -1 °C, remarks: from 11,000 ft to 14,000 ft rno dept southeast bound entered by zoa fdcs. 1141 nm along the route, 35 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    RNO UA /OV 3917N11935W/TM 1230/FL110/TP B38M/SK UNKN/TA M01/IC LGT RIME/RM 110-140 RNO DEPT SE BOUND ENTERED BY ZOA FDCS
    Report
    a routine report filed through RNO
    Where
    3917N11935W
    Time
    12:30 UTC
    Height
    at 11,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B38M
    Sky
    unknown
    Temperature
    −1 °C
    Icing
    light rime
    Remarks
    from 11,000 ft to 14,000 ft rno dept southeast bound entered by zoa fdcs

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 12 forecast points nearest it (TUL, OKC, GAG, GCK, PUB, ALS, GJT, BCE, ELY, BIH, RNO, SAC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
8,500 ft230° at 19 kt+11 kt9 °C109 kt11 h 17 min7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC)
10,500 ft230° at 24 kt+14 kt2 °C106 kt11 h 36 min7:21 pm PDT (02:21 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 27 kt+17 kt-1 °C103 kt11 h 57 min7:42 pm PDT (02:42 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 29 kt+18 kt-5 °C102 kt12 h 04 min7:49 pm PDT (02:49 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 31 kt+20 kt-9 °C100 kt12 h 18 min8:03 pm PDT (03:03 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 33 kt+21 kt-12 °C99 kt12 h 25 min8:10 pm PDT (03:10 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 42 kt+32 kt-22 °C88 kt13 h 59 min9:44 pm PDT (04:44 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 60 kt+44 kt-31 °C76 kt16 h 11 min11:56 pm PDT (06:56 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 64 kt+49 kt-38 °C71 kt17 h 19 min1:04 am PDT (08:04 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390240° at 63 kt+49 kt-46 °C71 kt17 h 19 min1:04 am PDT (08:04 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
TULused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line210/24220/29 18°240/17 14°250/16 8°260/28 -6°260/36 -18°270/63 -28°280/54 -37°290/46 -49°
OKCused from 50 nm out; 68 nm from the line200/23220/26 19°210/12 16°230/16 8°250/36 -6°250/45 -17°260/61 -28°270/51 -37°270/42 -49°
GAGused from 99 nm out; 72 nm from the line230/27 21°230/27 15°230/26 8°240/41 -7°250/54 -19°250/72 -27°260/70 -37°260/64 -49°
GCKused from 198 nm out; 54 nm from the line250/23 20°230/35 13°240/47 7°240/42 -7°250/43 -20°240/81 -28°250/87 -37°250/83 -49°
PUBused from 347 nm out; 67 nm from the line250/31 11°240/42 5°230/46 -7°230/59 -20°240/77 -30°230/94 -37°240/95 -49°
ALSused from 446 nm out; 28 nm from the line230/34 2°230/57 -9°230/72 -19°230/82 -27°230/91 -36°240/89 -48°
GJTused from 546 nm out; 78 nm from the line190/30 6°200/35 0°220/50 -13°220/69 -22°220/81 -30°230/84 -39°230/88 -47°
BCEused from 694 nm out; 78 nm from the line200/31 -2°190/46 -14°210/72 -24°210/87 -30°220/89 -38°220/78 -46°
ELYused from 843 nm out; 64 nm from the line210/17 0°220/30 -6°190/50 -19°200/56 -28°210/76 -32°210/63 -37°210/59 -43°
BIHused from 992 nm out; 100 nm from the lineL/V340/7 -3°L/V -8°250/15 -17°330/30 -24°270/23 -34°230/35 -39°230/39 -44°
RNOused from 1091 nm out; 56 nm from the lineL/V280/12 -4°260/15 -10°340/47 -17°340/75 -25°330/47 -37°280/20 -40°240/24 -42°
SACused from 1191 nm out; 19 nm from the lineL/V320/8 4°330/12 -3°350/25 -6°350/63 -12°340/65 -24°340/60 -40°340/45 -45°290/24 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
TUL Tulsa, OK departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet from the south (180°) at 13 knots 10+ mi none 677 ft 8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC)
WDG Enid, OK 89 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 17 knots, gusting to 23 10+ mi none 1,167 ft 13:45 UTC
AVK Alva, OK 139 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 17 knots, gusting to 26 10+ mi none 1,476 ft 14:35 UTC
HQG Hugoton, KS 268 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line VFR from the southwest (220°) at 16 knots 10+ mi none 3,134 ft 14:35 UTC
TAD Trinidad, CO 407 nm out, 24 nm south of the line VFR from the southwest (230°) at 15 knots, gusting to 22 10+ mi none 5,761 ft 13:54 UTC
AIB Nucla, CO 615 nm out, 6 nm north of the line IFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,000 feet, overcast at 8,500 feet Weather: haze from the south (190°) at 14 knots, gusting to 24 1.25 mi 6,000 ft 5,945 ft 08:15 UTC
HVE Hanksville, UT 714 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet from the south (180°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 4,453 ft 14:30 UTC
MLF Milford, UT 823 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 5,042 ft 13:52 UTC
HTH Hawthorne, NV 1091 nm out, 9 nm south of the line VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,500 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 12,000 feet from the north-northwest (330°) at 8 knots 10+ mi 9,000 ft 4,230 ft 14:35 UTC
PVF Placerville, CA 1191 nm out, 1 nm north of the line reported, no category calm 10+ mi none 2,585 ft 14:35 UTC
SMF Sacramento, CA destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet calm 10+ mi none 26 ft 6:53 am PDT (13:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,945 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SMF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC)

Wind from the north-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for SMF
  • 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
  • From Mon 10:00 pm PDT (05:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for TUL, the departure
  • From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
  • From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 17 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

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 destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at TUL 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC), at SMF 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SMF is after sunset there (6:32 pm PDT (01:32 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

Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the Pacific Southwest
Radar now, the Pacific Southwest · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Tulsa International, Sacramento International.