Aviation experts are warning that the climate crisis is increasing the threat of air turbulence globally. This includes a projected surge in clear-air turbulence, which is invisible and largely undetectable.
Richard Woodward, a former Royal Australian Air Force test pilot and Qantas A380 captain, stated that airlines and the aviation industry are increasingly aware of the threat posed by global heating. He noted that the severity of thunderstorms and storms in general will increase as the planet warms, due to a greater energy input into these events.
Professor Todd Lane of the University of Melbourne explained that for every degree of warming, the atmosphere can hold 7% more water vapour, which is the "fuel of thunderstorms." He added that more severe thunderstorms are expected to lead to more turbulence within and around them.
While most onboard injuries from turbulence are linked to thunderstorms, which can be somewhat forecastable, clear-air turbulence presents a different challenge. It is typically found in the upper atmosphere at cruising altitude and cannot be detected in advance using radar, though it can be modelled or reported by other aircraft.