Air turbulence

Airplane turbulence is a complex phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common due to climate change, according to experts. VIDEOGRAPHIC

Transcript

00:00Air turbulence is produced by changes in air currents which can affect the stability of

00:09planes.

00:10They can occur during storms which produce violent vertical winds and can move planes

00:16up or down up to 32km around a cloud.

00:23Mountains can also produce unstable air currents which can affect planes even at a distance.

00:32Air turbulence can also be caused by cold or warm air fronts or near the jet stream

00:37where powerful winds circle the earth at particular latitudes.

00:43They often accompany the phenomenon known as wind shear where winds suddenly change

00:50speed or direction.

00:51These conditions favour clear air turbulence which appear suddenly in zones without clouds

00:56and are the most dangerous for planes and passengers.

01:01Climate change could also be responsible for an increase in the frequency of turbulence

01:06because it increases the temperature difference between cold air at the poles and hot air

01:10of the tropics, worsening wind shear effects in the jet stream.

01:18The Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and the Pacific North of North America are

01:23particularly affected by this increase in air turbulence.