Weather Watch: Climate Change Impact on Air Turbulence
Climate change is affecting air travel globally, with travelers facing increasingly bumpy journeys.
Research shows that severe turbulence episodes over the North Atlantic have increased by over 50% since the late 1970s.
- Climate change is warming sub-tropical and tropical air masses more than arctic and polar air masses.
- This creates sharper temperature and density contrasts, resulting in increased friction and instability.
- Pressure changes in the atmosphere intensify the vigor of jet streams, affecting flight paths worldwide.
Author's summary: Climate change increases air turbulence.