Climate change is generating a marked spike in severe turbulence over one of the world’s busiest flights routes, and this, claims DC Velocity, will hit the freight sector. Meteorologists at the UK’s University of Reading discovered that, in the four decades from 1979 to 2020, severe turbulence over the North Atlantic had climbed by 55%. Unlike turbulence associated with storms, the rising temperatures have increased the level of “clear air” turbulence, which are virtually undetectable by remote sensing tools. Study lead Mark Prosser said airlines would now have to consider how they intend to manage the increased damage to cargo, as well as plane wear and tear from the resulting growth in turbulence, which he said already “costs the industry $100m-$150m annually in the US alone”.
