Air Turbulence Information

Air Turbulence is caused by many different factors. In general, a good majority of turbulence is of the light or moderate intensity. Even at severe intensity, there is nothing to worry about as aircraft are quite durable.

In general, passing near the jetstream will cause turbulence if the stream is causing shear (that is, winds in different directions). During the summer time, the jetstream is to the north in Canada, so in the US you generally have less turbulence incidents, with the exception of getting near storms, which are usually avoidable. In the wintertime, the jetstreams tend to go south and cover the USA, but the tradeoff is that you don't have to worry about flying near a thunderstorm.

It is in the pilots best interest to keep the flight as smooth as possible, and the airlines are now armed with extensive information which allows them to avoid turbulence much of the time, or at least, have proper warning. The easiest way to ensure your safety is to always wear your safety belt.

Particular hotspots for turbulence activity include Colorado and other mountain states, as winds can cause mountain waves, which are areas of instability as the winds are forced to change direction because of the mountains. The very northeast states (New York, Maine), and the very northwest states (Oregon, Washington State) are parts of the united states frequently visited by the jetstream, which can cause turbulence.