Oakland, United States of America
Live METAR wind (VRB at 4 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 12+10R+10L, departure 12+10R), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 12+10R+10L, departure 12+10R. The METAR wind is variable at 4 kt. 12 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 14:10.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 130° | 10,520 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 30 | 310° | 10,520 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 10R | 112° | 6,213 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 28L | 292° | 6,213 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 10L | 112° | 5,457 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing |
| 28R | 292° | 5,457 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 15 | 165° | 3,376 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 33 | 345° | 3,376 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
OAK ATIS INFO Y 2053Z. VRB04KT 10SM FEW030 18/11 A3012 (THREE ZERO ONE TWO). ILS, AND VA, RWYS 30 AND 28R. FLOW TO LAX, LAS, SAN, SEA, SFO. CTN, CRANE 1.6 MILE SE, , AT 140 FEET AGL. CAUTION, BIRDS NEAR AIRPORT. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO Y.
METAR KOAK 262053Z VRB04KT 10SM FEW030 18/11 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP198 T01830106 58019
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 4 kt
18°C · 10+ SM · 1020 hPa
FEW030
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 10R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 85/100
Short final 10R - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 10R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 82.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 17:00 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 navigationShort final 12 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 81/100
Short final 12 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 12 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 100.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 17:00 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 Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK / KOAK): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 37.720, longitude -122.221, 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 10R - sunny side Runway 10R | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Short final 12 - sunny side Runway 12 | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-11:00 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 118.3 MHz. D-ATIS is 133.775 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 10R, 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, 14:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 12+10R+10L, departure 12+10R. The METAR wind is variable at 4 kt. 12 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 12 - sunny side scores 71/100, 1234 m from runway 12, view bearing 159.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 23°. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 90/100 on a 82.7° 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 Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK/KOAK) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 10R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
KOAK spotting locations sun direction: Short final 10R - sunny side (runway 10R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 12 - sunny side (runway 12) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-11:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 10R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 10R 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 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.75 MHz, Approach 125.35 MHz, ATIS 133.775 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 118.3 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 4 kt, so 12 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/KOAK#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.