Sacramento, United States of America
Live METAR wind (220° at 9 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 22L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Sacramento Mather Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 14:35 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 22L. The METAR wind is 220° at 9 kt. 22L shows +8.7 kt headwind and 2.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 14:42.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04R | 54° | 11,301 ft | -8.7 kt | 2.1 kt | Standby |
| 22L | 234° | 11,301 ft | +8.7 kt | 2.1 kt | Landing + departure |
| 04L | 54° | 6,081 ft | -8.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 22R | 234° | 6,081 ft | +8.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
METAR KMHR 262135Z AUTO 22009KT 10SM CLR 21/07 A3004 RMK AO2 T02140066
Live weather
VFR220° @ 9 kt
21°C · 10+ SM · 1017 hPa
-
Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Short final 22L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 71/100
Short final 22L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 22L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 262.9°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 08:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Side light
Google Maps navigationKnow a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Best time to plane spot at Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR / KMHR): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 38.555, longitude -121.298, and the America/Los_Angeles clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 22L - sunny side Runway 22L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-10:00 local. Avoid 16:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 120.65 MHz. D-ATIS is 118.325 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 22L, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Mon 26 Oct, 14:35 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 22L. The METAR wind is 220° at 9 kt. 22L shows +8.7 kt headwind and 2.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 22L - sunny side scores 91/100, 1234 m from runway 22L, view bearing 262.9°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 22°. Short final 22L - sunny side scores 68/100 on a 262.9° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
The best time to plane spot at Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR/KMHR) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 22L - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 1 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
KMHR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 22L - sunny side (runway 22L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-10:00 local. Avoid 16:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 22L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 22L centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
Monitor Tower 120.65 MHz, Ground 121.85 MHz, ATIS 118.325 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 120.65 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 220° at 9 kt, so 22L remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/KMHR#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Sacramento Mather Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.