Climate change is causing an increase in severe clear air turbulence due to the warming of the troposphere and cooling of the stratosphere. This results in a larger temperature difference between the two layers and strengthens the airspeed within the jet stream, making it more likely for airliners to encounter turbulence. As a consequence, the encounters are expected to become both more frequent and more severe, posing risks for particular routes in the future.
On Tuesday a British man died and several others were injured when their plane encountered severe turbulence between London and Singapore. And it looks like this kind of turbulence is something we’ll have to get used to. Last year a study found severe clear-air turbulence had increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020. Ian Sample speaks to Guy Gratton, associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, to find out why this is happening, and whether there’s anything we can do to reverse the trend.. Help support our independent journalism at
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