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✈️ Houston (IAH) ⇄ San Francisco (SFO): turbulence forecast

Checking whether your IAH–SFO flight will be bumpy? RideScore samples the live forecast winds at cruise altitude along the actual Houston–San Francisco route and scores every leg of the flight, in plain English.

Live forecast IAH → SFO SFO → IAH
Distance2,627 km / 1,632 mi
Est. flight time~3h 35m
Time difference2h time behind at SFO
AirportsGeorge Bush Intercontinental Houston · San Francisco Intl

What makes this route bumpy (or not)

Turbulence here mostly depends on the day's winds aloft — where the fast air sits and how sharply it changes with altitude. That's exactly what the live forecast checks.

How the forecast works

RideScore reads the same global weather models professionals use (NOAA GFS / ECMWF via Open-Meteo), computes wind shear, jet-stream strength and storm energy at up to 11 points along the IAH–SFO great-circle, and turns it into a simple 0–10 bumpiness score for each leg of your flight — plus recent pilot reports from aircraft that just flew nearby. It's free, with no account and no tracking, and works up to 16 days ahead.

Common questions

Is the IAH to SFO flight usually turbulent?
It varies day to day with the winds aloft. Turbulence here mostly depends on the day's winds aloft — where the fast air sits and how sharply it changes with altitude. That's exactly what the live forecast checks. Check the live forecast on RideScore just before you fly — it samples the actual forecast winds along the Houston–San Francisco route at cruise altitude.
How long is the flight from Houston to San Francisco?
The great-circle distance is about 2,627 km (1,632 miles), which works out to roughly 3h 35m in the air depending on winds and routing.
Is turbulence on this route dangerous?
No — turbulence is uncomfortable, not dangerous to the aircraft. Modern jets are built for far worse than anything encountered in normal service, and pilots route around the roughest air. Keep your seatbelt fastened and it is a non-event.

More routes from Houston (IAH) · More routes from San Francisco (SFO)

This page shows typical route characteristics; conditions on your day will differ — run the live forecast. Estimates only, not an aviation weather briefing. © 2026 RideScore · made with ❤️ in Amsterdam · About · Terms