US
AIRPORT
SFO
WORLD RANK
#75

San Francisco

San Francisco International Airport

KSFO
707
Flights/Day
17:21
Local Time
Los Angeles
Timezone
13ft
Elevation
Flying from San Francisco?

Get turbulence forecasts for your upcoming flight

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Current Weather
Current Conditions
KSFO
VFR
20°C
Few Clouds • 17kt • 1013.30"
Observed: 23:56 UTC
VFR — Visual Flight Rules: Clear conditions, no weather delays expected.
Cloud Forecast
12k 8k 4k 0
14:00
CLR
21:00
CLR
03:00
0.9k
09:00
CLR
13:00
CLR
Few (1-2 oktas) Scattered (3-4) Broken (5-7) Overcast (8) | CLR = Clear 25k = 25,000 ft ceiling
FM = From (abrupt change) BECMG = Becoming (gradual) TEMPO = Temporary PROB = Probability %
TAF valid until 17:00 local time
About San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco's famous fog causes low-visibility delays but not turbulence. Strong onshore winds can make afternoon approaches bumpy.

Is San Francisco Airport turbulent?

SFO is notorious for fog delays rather than turbulence. The famous marine layer rolls in from the Pacific, reducing visibility and cutting landing capacity in half. SFO consistently ranks among America's most delayed airports because runway spacing from the 1940s cannot handle modern traffic volumes when fog forces single-runway operations.

  • SFO was 3rd most-delayed US airport in 2018 with 26% of arrivals delayed
  • Fog can cut landing capacity from 60 to 30 planes per hour
  • Runways built in 1940s are too close for simultaneous fog landings
Why does fog affect SFO so badly?

When visibility drops, aircraft cannot land side-by-side on SFO's closely-spaced runways. Capacity immediately halves. The FAA holds departures at origin airports rather than circling planes over the Bay. A persistent high-pressure ridge often traps fog in place for days. Morning fog typically lifts by midday, but delays cascade through the entire day.

When is the smoothest time to fly from SFO?

September and October typically offer the clearest conditions. Summer fog (June Gloom) is heaviest from June through August. Winter storms occasionally cause delays but are less persistent than fog. Afternoon flights are generally more reliable than morning departures during fog season.

Is turbulence at San Francisco dangerous?

No. Modern aircraft are designed to withstand forces far stronger than turbulence. While bumps can feel uncomfortable, they do not pose a safety risk. Pilots actively avoid rough air whenever possible. Learn more about turbulence

Best seats to reduce turbulence when flying from San Francisco?

Seats near the wings feel the least movement because they are closest to the aircraft's center of gravity. Seats at the back of the aircraft feel turbulence more strongly. Learn more about seat selection

Upcoming Flights (next 2 hours) 70
Flight Destination Departure Aircraft Forecast
LXJ673
Flexjet
SJC 17:22 Local -- Forecast
LXJ316
Flexjet
+1 codeshare F
SNA 17:26 Local -- Forecast
1I784
Netjets
SCF 17:30 Local -- Forecast
LXJ415
Flexjet
TEB 17:30 Local -- Forecast
1I595
Netjets
BFI 17:30 Local -- Forecast
UA5178
United Airlines
ACV 17:30 Local -- Forecast
EI60
Aer Lingus
DUB 17:40 Local -- Forecast
WN3877
Southwest Airlines
PHX 17:40 Local -- Forecast
AS3376
Alaska Airlines
SAN 17:41 Local -- Forecast
F92486
Frontier
+2 codeshares UA WN
LAS 17:41 Local -- Forecast
AS3447
Alaska Airlines
PSP 17:42 Local -- Forecast
IB356
Iberia
MAD 17:45 Local -- Forecast
MX609
Breeze Airways
SBD 17:47 Local -- Forecast
UA2611
United Airlines
BUR 17:54 Local -- Forecast
VS20
Virgin Atlantic
LHR 17:55 Local -- Forecast
DL793
Delta Air Lines
SLC 17:55 Local -- Forecast
AS1494
Alaska Airlines
+5 codeshares WN DL UA AS
LAX 17:57 Local -- Forecast
DL1077
Delta Air Lines
AUS 17:59 Local -- Forecast
1I446
Netjets
+1 codeshare LXJ
SNA 18:00 Local -- Forecast
UA672
United Airlines
BCN 18:00 Local -- Forecast
AS79
Alaska Airlines
OGG 18:01 Local boeing 737-890 Forecast
WN4626
Southwest Airlines
DEN 18:05 Local -- Forecast
WS1507
Westjet
YYC 18:05 Local -- Forecast
UA1771
United Airlines
+1 codeshare UA
JAC 18:10 Local -- Forecast
UA5721
United Airlines
SBA 18:16 Local -- Forecast
1I135
Netjets
+1 codeshare LXJ
VNY 18:18 Local -- Forecast
1L269
Netjets Aviation
+1 codeshare
OAK 18:18 Local -- Forecast
LXJ453
Flexjet
PGA 18:20 Local -- Forecast
SY396
Sun Country Airlines
MSP 18:20 Local -- Forecast
UA1300
United Airlines
+1 codeshare UA
ABQ 18:25 Local -- Forecast
AM9449
Aeromexico
MEX 18:25 Local -- Forecast
UA1760
United Airlines
+2 codeshares AA UA
DFW 18:25 Local -- Forecast
UA5466
United Airlines
MFR 18:28 Local -- Forecast
UA1577
United Airlines
+1 codeshare AS
SEA 18:28 Local -- Forecast
UA5260
United Airlines
+1 codeshare UA
RNO 18:28 Local -- Forecast
EJM448
Executive Jet Management
APA 18:30 Local -- Forecast
UA3881
United Airlines
GIG 18:30 Local -- Forecast
UA2429
United Airlines
YVR 18:30 Local -- Forecast
UA5627
United Express
MRY 18:30 Local mitsubishi crj-200lr Forecast
UA765
United Airlines
ONT 18:30 Local -- Forecast
UA3920
United Airlines
+1 codeshare UA
HNL 18:30 Local -- Forecast
UA5406
United Airlines
SBP 18:34 Local -- Forecast
UA5471
United Airlines
ACV 18:35 Local -- Forecast
UA6036
United Airlines
SAT 18:37 Local -- Forecast
UA5508
United Airlines
CLD 18:37 Local -- Forecast
UA5705
United Airlines
PSP 18:38 Local -- Forecast
AS525
Alaska Airlines
+2 codeshares UA AS
PDX 18:40 Local boeing 737-890 Forecast
UA4739
United Express
FAT 18:40 Local mitsubishi crj-200lr Forecast
AS3455
Alaska Airlines
+1 codeshare UA
SAN 18:42 Local -- Forecast
AS3451
Alaska Airlines
+2 codeshares UA AS
SNA 18:43 Local -- Forecast
CM6383
Copa Airlines
PTY 18:44 Local -- Forecast
UA1321
United Airlines
OMA 18:45 Local -- Forecast
UA5644
United Airlines
BOI 18:45 Local -- Forecast
UA1427
United Airlines
LAX 18:45 Local -- Forecast
TK80
Turkish Airlines
IST 18:45 Local -- Forecast
UA1594
United Airlines
ANC 18:47 Local -- Forecast
UA1124
United Airlines
OGG 18:52 Local -- Forecast
UA1702
United Airlines
IAH 18:54 Local -- Forecast
UA5320
United Airlines
+1 codeshare UA
SUN 18:55 Local -- Forecast
UA2436
United Airlines
DEN 18:56 Local -- Forecast
FX1301
Fedex
MEM 18:57 Local -- Forecast
LXJ222
Flexjet
GTF 19:00 Local -- Forecast
DL1991
Delta Air Lines
SLC 19:00 Local -- Forecast
MX601
Breeze Airways
PVU 19:01 Local -- Forecast
UA5419
United Express
GEG 19:04 Local embraer e175ll Forecast
UA731
United Airlines
KOA 19:08 Local -- Forecast
AS2188
Alaska Horizon
+1 codeshare AS
PAE 19:10 Local -- Forecast
UA476
United Airlines
AUS 19:10 Local -- Forecast
UA926
United Airlines
FRA 19:15 Local -- Forecast
TP240
Tap Air Portugal
TER 19:20 Local -- Forecast
17:22
Local
SFO SJC
LXJ673
17:26
Local
SFO SNA
LXJ316 +1
17:30
Local
SFO SCF
1I784
17:30
Local
SFO TEB
LXJ415
17:30
Local
SFO BFI
1I595
17:30
Local
SFO ACV
UA UA5178
17:40
Local
SFO DUB
EI EI60
17:40
Local
SFO PHX
WN WN3877
17:41
Local
SFO SAN
AS AS3376
17:41
Local
SFO LAS
F92486 +2
17:42
Local
SFO PSP
AS AS3447
17:45
Local
SFO MAD
IB IB356
17:47
Local
SFO SBD
MX609
17:54
Local
SFO BUR
UA UA2611
17:55
Local
SFO LHR
VS VS20
17:55
Local
SFO SLC
DL DL793
17:57
Local
SFO LAX
AS AS1494 +5
17:59
Local
SFO AUS
DL DL1077
18:00
Local
SFO SNA
1I446 +1
18:00
Local
SFO BCN
UA UA672
18:01
Local
SFO OGG
AS AS79
boeing 737-890
18:05
Local
SFO DEN
WN WN4626
18:05
Local
SFO YYC
WS WS1507
18:10
Local
SFO JAC
UA UA1771 +1
18:16
Local
SFO SBA
UA UA5721
18:18
Local
SFO VNY
1I135 +1
18:18
Local
SFO OAK
1L269 +1
18:20
Local
SFO PGA
LXJ453
18:20
Local
SFO MSP
SY SY396
18:25
Local
SFO ABQ
UA UA1300 +1
18:25
Local
SFO MEX
AM AM9449
18:25
Local
SFO DFW
UA UA1760 +2
18:28
Local
SFO MFR
UA UA5466
18:28
Local
SFO SEA
UA UA1577 +1
18:28
Local
SFO RNO
UA UA5260 +1
18:30
Local
SFO APA
EJM448
18:30
Local
SFO GIG
UA UA3881
18:30
Local
SFO YVR
UA UA2429
18:30
Local
SFO MRY
UA UA5627
mitsubishi crj-200lr
18:30
Local
SFO ONT
UA UA765
18:30
Local
SFO HNL
UA UA3920 +1
18:34
Local
SFO SBP
UA UA5406
18:35
Local
SFO ACV
UA UA5471
18:37
Local
SFO SAT
UA UA6036
18:37
Local
SFO CLD
UA UA5508
18:38
Local
SFO PSP
UA UA5705
18:40
Local
SFO PDX
AS AS525 +2
boeing 737-890
18:40
Local
SFO FAT
UA UA4739
mitsubishi crj-200lr
18:42
Local
SFO SAN
AS AS3455 +1
18:43
Local
SFO SNA
AS AS3451 +2
18:44
Local
SFO PTY
CM CM6383
18:45
Local
SFO OMA
UA UA1321
18:45
Local
SFO BOI
UA UA5644
18:45
Local
SFO LAX
UA UA1427
18:45
Local
SFO IST
TK TK80
18:47
Local
SFO ANC
UA UA1594
18:52
Local
SFO OGG
UA UA1124
18:54
Local
SFO IAH
UA UA1702
18:55
Local
SFO SUN
UA UA5320 +1
18:56
Local
SFO DEN
UA UA2436
18:57
Local
SFO MEM
FX FX1301
19:00
Local
SFO GTF
LXJ222
19:00
Local
SFO SLC
DL DL1991
19:01
Local
SFO PVU
MX601
19:04
Local
SFO GEG
UA UA5419
embraer e175ll
19:08
Local
SFO KOA
UA UA731
19:10
Local
SFO PAE
AS AS2188 +1
19:10
Local
SFO AUS
UA UA476
19:15
Local
SFO FRA
UA UA926
19:20
Local
SFO TER
TP TP240
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