Clear-air turbulence harder to spot as climate affects weather patterns, pilot
Former Qantas pilot Richard de Crespigny explains how climate change is affecting some forms of turbulence.
Air turbulence is a growing challenge for pilots. Climate change is affecting weather patterns.
Former Qantas captain Richard de Crespigny explained why some turbulence can strike even when skies appear clear. Severe turbulence is not increasing a lot.
But climate change is making thunderstorms start earlier in the day. Thunderstorms also reach higher altitudes now.
Clear-air turbulence presents a separate challenge. It forms in calm conditions when different air masses meet.
This creates narrow bands of invisible rough air. De Crespigny said weather experts can predict these turbulent bands.
Pilots can spot them on maps and change their routes. However, it remains hard to predict them.
De Crespigny urged all passengers to keep seatbelts loosely fastened whenever seated. This applies even when the seatbelt sign is off.
He pointed to a Singapore Airlines flight in May 2024 that hit severe turbulence. It killed one passenger and injured dozens of others.
Why it mattersTurbulence can strike without warning in clear skies. So using seatbelts is critical, even during smooth-seeming flights.
AustraliaAustralian air travellers should keep seatbelts fastened on domestic and international flights, particularly as climate patterns shift and turbulence becomes less predictable.
Corroborated by7news.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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