Flight turbulence: What is it, when does it happen and why?

Most turbulence occurs in cloud with up- and downdrafts of wind, says BBC Weather's Simon King.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchRegisterSign InHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUK General ElectionIndia ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessFuture of BusinessTechnology of BusinessWork CultureInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherWhat is flight turbulence and why does it happen?2 days agoShareBBCOne person has died and several have been injured after severe turbulence on a London to Singapore flight.

The plane suffered a sudden drop which launched people and objects across the cabin. It made an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.

Frequent flyers will be familiar with the sudden jolting that can happen when an aircraft gets into turbulence. It can move the plane and cause sudden changes in height.

Most turbulence occurs in cloud where there are up- and downdrafts of wind, according to BBC Weather's Simon King, a former RAF officer.

Much of that will be fairly mild, but in bigger clouds - such as the cumulonimbus thunderstorm cloud - the chaotic movements of air can cause moderate or even severe turbulence.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd114v0erlno

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