California Central Valley Flying Weather
CA · 2006–2025 · 14 eligible airports
Hot, dry, and reliably VFR from late spring through fall, with high density altitude and afternoon thermal turbulence the main warm-season considerations. Winter is defined by tule fog — dense radiation fog that can pin visibility near zero for days across the entire valley floor, one of the most persistent fog regimes in the country. Wildfire smoke can degrade visibility for extended late-summer stretches, and the Delta breeze brings localized evening wind shifts to the Sacramento area. May through October offers outstanding flying; the December–January tule-fog season is the worst.
- Daylight VFR
- 88.7%
- VFR days/yr
- 296
- Mean wind
- 5.2 kt
- Most VFR month
- July
- Fewest VFR month
- December
- VFR Score
- 68
Regional standouts
VFR conditions by month
Regional average across eligible airports
| Month | VFR % |
|---|---|
| Jan | 59.5% |
| Feb | 81.4% |
| Mar | 92.3% |
| Apr | 96.3% |
| May | 98.4% |
| Jun | 98.7% |
| Jul | 98.8% |
| Aug | 96.9% |
| Sep | 96.5% |
| Oct | 92.4% |
| Nov | 71.7% |
| Dec | 56.8% |
Average wind by month
Regional average sustained wind
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 4.1 kt |
| Feb | 4.9 kt |
| Mar | 5.4 kt |
| Apr | 5.9 kt |
| May | 6.6 kt |
| Jun | 6.6 kt |
| Jul | 6.0 kt |
| Aug | 5.5 kt |
| Sep | 4.9 kt |
| Oct | 4.3 kt |
| Nov | 3.8 kt |
| Dec | 4.1 kt |
Every airport in California Central Valley, ranked
Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.
| KHJOHanford Municipal Airport | Hanford | 79.3 | 10.0 | 274 | 4 kt | 56 |
| KFATFresno Yosemite International Airport | Fresno | 85.3 | 4.7 | 284 | 4 kt | 63 |
| KBFLMeadows Field | Bakersfield | 86.3 | 3.6 | 292 | 4 kt | 64 |
| KVISVisalia Municipal Airport | Visalia | 83.1 | 7.8 | 281 | 4 kt | 64 |
| KMCEMerced Regional Macready Field | Merced | 84.8 | 6.3 | 290 | 5 kt | 64 |
| KMAEMadera Municipal Airport | Madera | 85.3 | 6.3 | 294 | 5 kt | 66 |
| KMODModesto City Co-Harry Sham Field | Modesto | 86.0 | 5.6 | 299 | 5 kt | 67 |
| KSCKStockton Metropolitan Airport | Stockton | 87.3 | 5.2 | 299 | 6 kt | 67 |
| KPTVPorterville Municipal Airport | Porterville | 87.3 | 4.6 | 296 | 4 kt | 70 |
| KSACSacramento Executive Airport | Sacramento | 88.1 | 5.5 | 306 | 5 kt | 72 |
| KSMFSacramento International Airport | Sacramento | 90.5 | 4.6 | 310 | 6 kt | 73 |
| KRBLRed Bluff Municipal Airport | Red Bluff | 90.0 | 3.9 | 311 | 6 kt | 73 |
| KRDDRedding Municipal Airport | Redding | 88.8 | 3.9 | 305 | 4 kt | 74 |
| KOVEOroville Municipal Airport | Oroville | 90.8 | 3.9 | 309 | 4 kt | 77 |
The pattern in California Central Valley
Across 2006–2025, the 14 eligible airports in California Central Valley reported VFR conditions during about 88.7% of valid daytime observations, with an estimated 296 VFR flying days per year and a mean surface wind of 5.2 kt. KOVE (Oroville Municipal Airport) had the most VFR weather at 91.8%. KHJO saw the most instrument conditions, at 10.0% IFR/LIFR. The lowest-ranked eligible field by VFR Score was KHJO (Hanford Municipal Airport).
How California Central Valley is defined
CA: exactly these 16 valley counties — Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Yolo, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare — PLUS the portion of Kern County west of the Sierra Nevada–Tehachapi crest (Bakersfield, Delano, Shafter, Wasco, Taft); Kern's east-of-crest desert portion (Mojave, California City, Rosamond/Edwards, Tehachapi, Inyokern/Ridgecrest) belongs to southern-california-inland. All other California counties belong to northern-california, southern-california-coast, or southern-california-inland per their rules.
Educational use only. Historical weather rankings from ATIS Alerts are educational summaries of past observations — not a forecast, flight-planning tool, or safety rating. They do not replace current METARs, TAFs, NOTAMs, ATIS, or a weather briefing, and favorable history does not make any airport safe. Always check current conditions and use your own judgment before flight.