Sacramento, United States of America
Live METAR wind (180° at 7 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 35R+35L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Sacramento International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 180° at 7 kt. 35R shows -7.0 kt headwind and 0.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 17L, 17R. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 14:34.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17L | 181° | 8,605 ft | +7.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Closed |
| 35R | 1° | 8,605 ft | -7.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Landing + departure |
| 17R | 181° | 8,598 ft | +7.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Closed |
| 35L | 1° | 8,598 ft | -7.0 kt | 0.1 kt | Landing + departure |
SMF ATIS INFO F 2053Z. 16007KT 10SM FEW250 21/06 A3006 (THREE ZERO ZERO SIX). SIMUL VISUAL APCHS IN USE, LNDG RWYS 17R AND LEFT. SIMUL DEPENDENT APCHS IN USE. NOTAMS... TWY B3 CLSD. RWY 17 RIGHT INNER MARKER OTS. METERING IN EFFECT FOR SFO, LAX, SEA, SAN, LAS, SNA. BIRD & CROP DUSTERS. CD IS ON 121.7. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO F.
METAR KSMF 262053Z 18007KT 10SM FEW250 21/06 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP178 T02110061 58022
Live weather
VFR180° @ 7 kt
21°C · 10+ SM · 1018 hPa
FEW250
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 35R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 96/100
Short final 35R - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 35R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 30.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 14:00–15:00 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: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationShort final 35L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 96/100
Short final 35L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 35L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 30.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 14:00–15:00 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: Frontlit
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 International Airport (SMF / KSMF): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 38.695, longitude -121.591, 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 35R - sunny side Runway 35R | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Short final 35L - sunny side Runway 35L | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
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 125.7 MHz. D-ATIS is 126.75 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 35R, 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 and departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 180° at 7 kt. 35R shows -7.0 kt headwind and 0.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 17L, 17R.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 88/100, 1234 m from runway 35R, view bearing 331.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 22°. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 30.2° 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 International Airport (SMF/KSMF) 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 35R - sunny side, Short final 35L - 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.
KSMF spotting locations sun direction: Short final 35R - sunny side (runway 35R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 35L - sunny side (runway 35L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 35R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 35R 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 125.7 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 126.75 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 125.7 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 180° at 7 kt, so 35R 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/KSMF#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Sacramento International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.