Why is airplane turbulence becoming more frequent and severe, even when the sky is completely clear? This video explains the science behind clear-air turbulence (CAT), examining how climate change, jet streams, and atmospheric wind shear are increasing the risk of unexpected turbulence during commercial flights, particularly over the North Atlantic.
Explore how rising temperatures in the lower atmosphere and cooling in the stratosphere strengthen wind shear at cruising altitude, creating invisible turbulent air currents that conventional aircraft weather radar cannot detect. The video examines atmospheric stability, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, jet-stream dynamics, and research showing a 55% increase in severe clear-air turbulence over the North Atlantic since 1979.
It also covers aircraft structural resilience, turbulence-related passenger injuries, the 1997 United Airlines Flight 826 incident, and the 2024 Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 accident. Learn how airlines use turbulence forecasting, automated aircraft reports, and flight planning to reduce exposure to dangerous atmospheric conditions.
#aviation #turbulence #clearairturbulence #aviationsafety #jetstream #climatechange #atmosphericscience
