Why you're more at risk of air turbulence due to climate change

21 May 2024 , 16:39

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Turbulence is becoming more common due to climate change (Image: Getty Images)

Flight turbulence is increasing as the planet becomes warmer due to climate change, an expert has warned.

The alarming revelation has come under the spotlight after a 73-year-old British man died from a heart attack as a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore plunged 6,000ft when it was struck by severe turbulence. Dozens of other passengers were left with injuries with at least 18 needing to be treated at a hospital and six in a critical condition following an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.

"We now have strong evidence that turbulence is increasing because of climate change," Dr Paul Williams, professor of atmospheric science at Reading University, told The Mirror. "We recently discovered that severe clear-air turbulence in the North Atlantic has increased by 55 per cent since 1979. Our latest future projections indicate a doubling or trebling of severe turbulence in the jet streams in the coming decades, if the climate continues to change as we expect."

Turbulence can happen during flights due to changes in wind speed and direction (ViralPress)

Turbulence is unstable air movement that is caused by a change in both wind speed and direction. Aircraft can be affected by turbulence when they travel over mountain ranges or hilly terrain as well as thunderstorms or extreme hot or cold weather. It often causes a quick drop in altitude, which can be felt like a sensation of being lifted from your seat. Smaller planes are at a greater risk of being impacted by turbulence as they are more susceptible to changes in wind speed.

Pilots undergo training to understand the risks posed by turbulence. It is advised that passengers remain in their seat and keep their seatbelt on as much as possible as it reduces the risk of incurring an injury. In most cases turbulence can be a frightening experience in severe cases, but is not dangerous in most cases. There have only been a few reported cases of deaths due to turbulence according to Dr Williams.

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Food and other items were left strewn about the cabin during the extreme turbulence (ViralPress)

At least 18 people needed to be treated in hospital (X)

He added: "Turbulence fatalities on commercial flights are fortunately very rare, but have sadly increased by one today...In this last case, it is called clear-air turbulence, and it can be difficult to avoid because it doesn't show up on the weather radar in the flight deck. A detailed analysis of the meteorological circumstances and the particular type of turbulence that caused today's fatality will take some time.

"The last fatality caused by clear-air turbulence on a commercial flight occurred on 28 December 1997, on a United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Honolulu. Other forms of turbulence have caused more recently fatalities, but as far as I am aware there has not been a turbulence fatality on a commercial flight since 2009."

Anders Anglesey