Weather Hazards

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Turbulence:

Turbulence is the random gusty fluctuations (vertical and horizontal) of the wind. Turbulence usually consists of a lot of different-sized swirls of air motion (called eddies) superimposed on each other.

Both the USA and Canadian "Aeronautical Info Manual" (AIM, 2015) recommends that pilots get no closer than 20 nautical miles to any severe thunderstorm, including any thunderstorm with tops at 35,000 feet or higher.

The dangerous gap of clear air between thunderstorms can have severe turbulence and can close-in on the aircraft. These gaps are nicknamed "sucker holes" because they lure unsuspecting pilots to their death.

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Image Credit: Roland Stull

Heavy Rain

 Hazard associated with rain is reduced visibility , with heavier rains having poorer visibility. If you are flying VFR, you have to avoid heavy rain area when planning the route. Also, the heavy snow falling out of winter thunderstorms can cause extremely poor visibilities. For smaller aircraft without radar, information on the location of thunderstorm cells can be obtained by talking on the radio to weather briefers on the ground. 

Lightning

The lightning stroke can happen between a cloud and the ground between two adjacent clouds, within a single cloud, and from the cloud to clear air.

Aircraft do not attract lightning and do not cause lightning. Most commercial aircraft will not be affected bu lightning because the electricity flows on the outside of the aluminum skin of the aircraft. Modern composite (carbon-fiber) aircraft have a wire screen imbedded in the composite material to conduct the lightning electricity away from key aircraft components. 

Pilots flying near thunderstorms are encouraged to turn up cockpit lights to their highest intensity to minimize temporary blindness from lightning.

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