Severe turbulence could get 149% worse in the near future
A new study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences has found that incidences of severe air turbulence could increase because of climate change.
As well as melting the polar icecaps, elevating sea levels, increasing extreme weather events and potentially displacing millions of people, it also wants to ruin our holidays.
The research out of The University of Reading detailed climate change’s impact on wind shears – the variation in wind speed or direction with height – within the jet stream over North America and the North Atlantic Ocean. It’s these wind shears that are the main cause of air turbulence.
They found that the incidences of light turbulence could increase by 59 percent, light-to-moderate turbulence by 75 percent, moderate by 94 percent, and moderate-to-severe by 127 percent.
“Our new study paints the most detailed picture yet of how aircraft turbulence will respond to climate change,” study author Dr. Paul Williams said in a statement. “Even the most seasoned frequent fliers may be alarmed at the prospect of a 149 percent increase in severe turbulence, which frequently hospitalises air travellers and flight attendants around the world.”
"My top priority for the future is to investigate other flight routes around the world,” he added.
“We also need to investigate the altitude and seasonal dependence of the changes, and to analyse different climate models and warming scenarios to quantify the uncertainties."
This article originally appeared on 7travel.
