January 12, 2023 LAX Visibility Markers

At Los Angeles Airport (LAX), weather observers are tasked with determining the “prevailing visibility” for each observation. As a weather observer, I figured that it would be helpful to determine the distance of easily-identifiable objects that can be seen from the control tower. We observe the sky conditions and determine the prevailing and sector visibilities from outside platforms off of the 16th floor of the control tower (about four floors below the ATC tower cab). Yes, a map showing a number of visibility markers from LAX is already available, but this entry should serve as a nice supplement.

I took a series of photographs from the control tower platforms, starting to the north and working my way around the horizon to the E and S and W and N again. These 24 images were with a full-frame DSLR camera and a zoom lens set at 100 mm focal length. There is a little overlap from image to image.

The images were taken on January 12, 2023, around 2 p.m. PST. The sun was about 30 degrees above the horizon in the southwest sky. Skies were clear and visibility at the time was excellent, with mountains as far as 100 miles away visible. This was a typical clear winter afternoon in the Los Angeles area with weak-to-moderate offshore flow and low humidities. I have seen afternoons with somewhat better visibilities, especially for areas towards the ocean (S to W), but this day was still fairly high-end with regard to visibility.

Below are the 24 images around the horizon from the LAX control tower. Distant mountain elevations and distances are shown. Closer objects are notated with a letter and the distance in miles. A “key” to each image is provided below this set of images. This key provides information related to each lettered object. Click on an image to enlarge it!

NORTH SECTORS

NORTHEAST SECTORS

EAST SECTORS

SOUTHEAST SECTORS

SOUTH SECTORS

SOUTHWEST SECTORS

WEST SECTORS

NORTHWEST SECTORS

Above is a link to the list of visibility markers in pdf format, which opens in a new tab and may be a little more manageable for you than the long list below!

LAX N0  NNW

A/0.5 miles  Weather instruments between runways (orange and white)

B/0.7 miles  (3725 feet) Orange/red aviation radar and traffic signals along Lincoln Blvd.

C/0.9 miles  Golf course north side of Westchester Parkway

D/2.1 miles  Loyola church tower/White 4-story housing just to the right is 2.0 miles

E/5.5 miles  Black 10-story True Car building along 405 near National

F/6.8 miles  B&W Pacific Western Bank (10-story) at Sepulveda and Olympic

G/7.4 miles  B&W 20-story building at Sepulveda and Santa Monica

H/8.0 miles  20-story-plus skyscrapers near Wilshire and San Vicente (West L.A.)

I/8.3 miles   Skyscrapers lined up along Wilshire corridor (West L.A.) 

J/10.0 miles  Light-colored Getty Museum on hillside

LAX N1  NNW to N

A/0.5 miles  Orange and white instrumentation between runways

B/0.9 miles  Golf course fairway

C/1.0 miles  Visitation Catholic Church bell tower (close to due north)

D/1.5 miles  Westchester Methodist Church tower

E/5.5 miles  True Car 10-story dark building along 405 near National 

F/7.5 miles  Century Towers, twin white skyscrapers 

G/8.0 miles  Century City skyscrapers

H/8.3 miles  Skyscrapers along Wilshire Blvd. corridor in Westwood area

I/12 miles     Ridgeline of Santa Monica Mtns behind Century City (elev. about 1400’)

Note: far end of Terminal 2 building is a little less than 1/4 mile distant

LAX N2 N to NNE

A/0.5 miles  East end of northern-most runway

B/0.8 miles  Traffic signals at La Tijera and Westchester Pkwy

C/1.2 miles  White 6-story apartment building at Sepulveda and Manchester

D/2.4 miles  Brown 16-story building with rounded glass side at H. Hughes Ctr

E/3.0 miles  Cluster of light-colored 5 to 10-story structures Fox Hills/Culver City

F/5.0 miles  Radio tower/Baldwin Hills just behind H. Hughes Ctr (elev. 400’)

G/10 miles  High-rises along Sunset Strip to NNE, including Cedars Sanai Hosp.

H/12 miles  Crest of Santa Monica Mountains just east of due north (elev. 1562’)

 I/13 miles   Santa Monica Mountain peak behind Baldwin Hills (elev. 1490’)

J/14 miles   Hollywood Sign, Mount Lee and Cahuenga Pk (at 1826’ to left of sign) 

K/21 miles   Vedugo Mtns and Verdugo Pk (elev. 3127’, next ridge behind Hollywood sign) 

Note:  the crest of the San Gabriel Mountains is about 30 miles distant to the NNE, at elevations of roughly 5000 to 6000 feet.

LAX N3 NNE to NE

A/0.25 miles  Far end of Terminal 1 

B/0.6 miles   Small orange and white shacks next to runway

C/0.8 miles   Wide parking garage next to In-N-Out

D/1.0 mile    5-story white apartment building along Sepulveda Expressway at La Tijera

E/1.2 miles   White 6-story apartment building at Sepulveda and Manchester

F/1.2 miles   B&W 10-story Medical Plaza Building, Sepulveda and Manchester

G/1.3 miles  5-story white office building, La Tijera and Bleriot

H/3.6 miles  5-story white office buildings, La Cienega and Slauson

 I/4.0 miles   Ladera Heights residential housing tract

J/4.8 miles   Light blue water tower and tall radio tower on ridge, Baldwin Hills, elev. 510’

K/5.0 miles  Electricity transmission towers on ridge top, Baldwin Hills

L/13.5 miles  Griffith Observatory, elevation 1100’

M/14 miles  Hollywood sign

N/14 miles  Mount Hollywood, elev. 1622’

LAX NE1 NE

A/0.6 miles  orange and white box at east end of runway near Sepulveda

B/0.5 miles  row of tall palm trees along LAX entrance ramp

C/1.3 miles  5-story white office building, La Tijera and Bleriot

D/3.6 miles  5-story white office buildings, La Cienega and Slauson

E/1.5 miles  6-story Holiday Inn Express at Manchester and Airport Blvd.

F/5.0 miles  Ridgeline in Windsor Hills area right behind Holiday Inn Express

G/11.5 miles  Downtown Los Angeles skyline

LAX NE2 NE-ENE

A/0.2 miles  Pedestrian bridge from Terminal One

B/0.4 miles  Large parking lot

C/0.5 miles  9-story white COVID TEST building on Sepulveda 

D/0.8 miles  Large 3-story white structure around 96th and Jenny

E/1.5 miles  6-story Holiday Inn Express at Manchester and Airport Blvd.

F/2.5 miles  Green & white 6-story Extra Space Storage building near 405 and Florence

G/3.1 miles  Cluster of 5-to-7-story buildings in Inglewood, white and brown

H/11.5 miles Downtown L.A. skyline

LAX NE3  ENE

A/0.5 miles  Solo tall palm tree adjacent to west end of Hyatt Hotel (just under 0.5 miles)

B/0.5 miles  9-story white COVID TEST building on Sepulveda

C/0.8 miles  Large 3-story white structure around 96th and Jenny

D/1.1 miles  10-story Renaissance Hotel with blue trim along top (Airport and 96th)

E/1.8 miles  8-story yellow apartment building at Hindry and Arbor Vitae

F/3.1 miles  Cluster of 5-to-7-story buildings in Inglewood, white and brown

G/3.6 miles  Inglewood Forum

LAX E1 E-ESE

A/0.2 miles  Platform roof for rail terminal

B/0.33 miles  Old LAX control tower

C/0.7 miles  White and blue Homewood Suites Hotel on Century Blvd.

D/0.8 miles  Large and tall, black Concentra Urgent Care

E/1.3 miles  Black Hilton Hotel with red Hilton sign right above old control tower

F/1.7 miles  White and black Westin Hotel

G/3.6 miles  Inglewood Forum (Manchester and Prairie)

H/3.8 miles  Silver roof of SoFi Football Stadium

LAX E2 ESE

A/0.4 miles   Right edge of curve of Elevated Rail

B/0.23 miles  P7 Stairwell 

C/0.7 miles   Tall structure on tarmac, light cream colored

D/1.4 miles   Orange and white blast fence at east end of runway

E/5.9 miles   White St. Francis Church Bell Tower (Imperial Hwy and Normandie)

F/10.8 miles   White Compton Courthouse square building  (13-story, Compton & Willowbrook)

LAX SE1 ESE-SE

A/0.4 miles  Four tall palm trees in front of Delta building

B/1.1 miles  White and Orange weather instrumentation

C/1.3 miles  Low gray building

D/2.1 miles  Airport Courthouse Building (8-stories)

E/3.2 miles  Blue Hawthorne water tower

F/4.7 miles  White SpaceX Rocket Tower (near Hawthorne AP)

G/11.8 miles  Radio Transmission Tower on Dominguez Hills

H/10.8 miles  Compton Courthouse, white square bldg at Compton & Willowbrook

LAX SE2   SE

A/0.3 miles  Dome on Terminal 7 (United)

B/0.8 miles  Middle of runways to the southeast

C/1.2 miles  FedEx Building

D/1.4 miles  Two large black buildings (12-stories) on Imperial Hwy

E/1.5 miles   Light-colored L.A. Times building (6 stories) on Imperial Hwy

F/2.1 miles   Airport Courthouse (8 stories)

H/3.2 miles  Blue Hawthorne water tower

LAX S1  SE-SSE

A/1.0 miles  Low gray Singapore Airlines building

B/1.2 miles  Tall Raytheon and Boeing buildings (10 stories, Imperial & Hughes)

C/1.4 miles  Black office building (12 stories, Imperial and Nash)

S2  SSE

A/0.2 miles (1150’)  Dome on Terminal 6

B/0.25 miles (1380’)  Round top, end of Terminal 6

C/0.5 miles  Middle of runway just beyond Terminal 6 

D/1.0 mile  Aqua Glass/Square Enix Building at Imperial and Sepulveda

E/1.8 miles  Reflective 23-story building with white top (Grand and PCH)

F/2.0 miles  White and black 14-story building (Continental and El Segundo)

G/3.9 miles  Black and white 12-story Northrup Grunman building (Redondo & Marine)

H/1.2 miles  Boeing Building (10 stories, on Imperial Hwy)

LAX S3  SSE-S

A/0.4 miles  Red airfield marker 25R7L (2150 feet away)

B/0.8 miles  Gray Atlantic building (4220’)

C/0.8 miles  Light gray Qantas building

D/0.9 miles  Tan—colored tower with white top

E/1.0 mile    Embassy Suites along Imperial Hwy.

F/1.8 miles  23-story reflective/white top building (Grand & PCH, 1.9 miles to next one)

G/2.2 miles  closest green refinery tank

H/2.4 miles  White dome next to green tanks

I/3.0 miles    White and black WEWORK building, 6 stories

J/4.3 miles   White water tower at 8th and Rowell in Manhattan Beach 

LAX S4  S-SSW

A/0.2 miles  Closer diamond-shaped glass top on T5 roof (850 feet away)

B/0.25 miles  Diamond-shaped glass top at end of Terminal 5  (1400 feet away)

C/0.8 miles    Gate Gourmet building/light green

D/1.6 miles   Blue El Segundo Water Tower at Maryland & Grand

E/2.0 miles   Tall refinery derricks

F/2.2 miles   Green refinery tanks

LAX SW1 SSW-SW

A/0.5 miles  Middle of Runways to SW

B/0.9 miles  Sky Chefs building (white)

C/2.0 miles  Green tanks at refinery

D/2.2 miles  Tall refinery towers

LAX SW2  SW-WSW

A/0.3 miles  1545’  Round glass dome Terminal 4

B/0.5 miles  2500’  South end of Tom Bradley Terminal

C/1.1 miles  West end of south runway

D/1.7 miles  Bluff to southwest

E/2.2 miles  Red and white Twin Stacks at Hyperion Water Treatment Plant

LAX SW3  WSW

A/0.2 miles  1130’  Arch-shaped entrance to Terminal 4

B/0.4 miles  2100’  Tom Bradley Terminal to WSW

C/1.2 miles  West end of south runway

D/1.3 miles  Bluff to the WSW

E/1.6 miles  Palm trees on bluff against the ocean

LAX W1  WSW-W

A/0.1 miles  500’  Middle of Parking lot to WSW

B/0.4 miles  1920’  Tom Bradley terminal to west

C/0.6 miles  Control Tower behind TB Terminal to west

D/0.7 miles  American Airlines building

E/1.3 miles   Bluff

F/1.4 miles   White Delta building

LAX W2   W

A/0.2 miles  Near side of light rail platform roof

B/0.3 miles 1350’ Front of Tom Bradley Terminal along World Way 

C/0.4 miles  Glass side of Tom Bradley Terminal beneath slanted roof

D/0.6 miles  Control tower behind TB Terminal

E/1.1 miles  10-story white building

F/1.4 miles  White Delta Tech ops building

LAX W3  W-WNW

A/0.2 miles  Middle of parking structure P3

B/0.3 miles  1350’ Front of Tom Bradley Terminal along World Way

C/0.7 miles  3500’  200-numbered terminal

D/1.0 mile    5300’  White fuel tanks

E/1.6 miles   West end of north runway

F/1.9 miles   Orange and white blast fence at west end of north runway

G/2.0 miles  Bluff behind blast fence

LAX NW1  WNW-NW

A/0.2 miles  930’  Dark glass front of Terminal 3 at walkway over road

B/0.4 miles  2080’  Gates 135 and 137

C/0.8 miles  4450’  Middle of runways and instrumentation

D/1.8 miles  St. Bernards High School, ruddy brick 2-story with light-toned roof

E/2.2 miles  Top of 7-story brown Homefed Bank building at Manchester and Falmouth

F/2.6 miles  Hilltop, homes and tall palm trees at Playa del Rey, just beyond end of runway

G/4.1 miles  Large 14-story apartment building in Marina del Rey (Washington & Via Dolce)

H/12 miles  Coastline at Topanga Beach

I/12 miles    Hillside at Pacific Palisades

J/18 miles   Malibu Beach and Pepperdine (with tall white steeple tower)

LAX NW2  NW

A/0.25 miles  1340’  End of Terminal 3 building

B/0.5 miles    2450’  Red runway marker along taxiway

C/0.6 miles   3250’  Red runway marker between runways

D/1.0 mile    3 Flag poles at LAX Police station

E/1.1 miles   6-story white Otis College building

F/1.3 miles   Loyola complex, 4-story brown/ruddy colored

G/1.3 miles  12-story white Hotel June (Lincoln and Manchester)

H/3.6 miles  17-story apartment building, aqua and white (Lincoln and Marina Pt Way)

I/4.0 miles    Three 15-story apt. buildings, tan colored (Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey)

J/6.0 miles  17-story white building in Santa Monica (Hill and Neilson)

K/7.5 miles  100 Wilshire Building at 2nd St., 21-story, Santa Monica (B&W)

L/12 miles   Slopes of Pacific Palisades

M/12 miles  West end of Pacific Palisades

N/4.1 miles  Large 14-story apartment building in Marina del Rey (Washington and Via Dolce)

LAX NW3  NW-NNW

A/0.9 miles  Aviation radar tower with white top, and golf course

B/1.1 miles   6-story white Otis College building

C/1.3 miles  12-story white Hotel June (Lincoln and Manchester)

D/3.6 miles  17-story apartment building, aqua and white (Lincoln and Marina Pt Way)

E/7.3 miles   Medical Center of Santa Monica (S.M. and 20th). 12-story B&W building

F/7.5 miles  Santa Monica and Sepulveda 15-story buildings, white

G/7.5 miles  15-story white bldg behind June Hotel (Arizona and 15th in Santa Monica)