Weather Hazards
Weather Hazards
Thunderstorms pose as one of the greatest weather hazards in aviation. A thunderstorm doesn’t represent a single weather hazard, but rather a collection of hazards in one area (Experimental Aircraft Info, n.d.). Heavy rain, hail, icing, lighting and wind shear are just a few of the hazards that typically accompany a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms present a combination of these and other hazards that cause dangerous flight conditions, aircraft damage and delays every year. The formation of a thunderstorm can be triggered by several different means in a variety of locations. For example, orographic thunderstorms form as air is forced up along a mountainside, air mass thunderstorms form from the convection of unstable air and frontal thunderstorms form along the boundary of a weather front. No matter what the cause, thunderstorms usually have three stages (UCAR, n.d.). The Cumulus stage when warm moist air rises in an updraft to form cumulus clouds. The Mature stage when precipitation, lighting, an up draft and a downdraft are present turning the cloud to a cumulonimbus cloud. And finally, the Dissipating stage when the downdraft becomes strong enough to essentially cut off the updraft and weaken the system. This is how a typical single cell thunderstorm is formed and dies. However, a Supercell thunderstorm has the added energy of a spiraling vortex, during its mature stage, that provides a strong updraft that cannot be easily cut off by a downdraft. These are types of thunderstorms that have the potential to form tornadoes.
When thunderstorms form near an airport or airway the multitude of concentrated hazards make it dangerous for in-flight and airport operations. Leading to IFR conditions, the need to solicit PIREPS and for safety purposes, delays and diverted flights. Cloud cover and heavy precipitation reduces visibility, cold moist air causes icing, wind shears make landing and taking-off difficult, excessive rain and hail can make runway conditions unsafe. The numerous hazards focused in an area is why thunderstorms are so detrimental to aviation.
Reference
Thunderstorms pose as one of the greatest weather hazards in aviation. A thunderstorm doesn’t represent a single weather hazard, but rather a collection of hazards in one area (Experimental Aircraft Info, n.d.). Heavy rain, hail, icing, lighting and wind shear are just a few of the hazards that typically accompany a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms present a combination of these and other hazards that cause dangerous flight conditions, aircraft damage and delays every year. The formation of a thunderstorm can be triggered by several different means in a variety of locations. For example, orographic thunderstorms form as air is forced up along a mountainside, air mass thunderstorms form from the convection of unstable air and frontal thunderstorms form along the boundary of a weather front. No matter what the cause, thunderstorms usually have three stages (UCAR, n.d.). The Cumulus stage when warm moist air rises in an updraft to form cumulus clouds. The Mature stage when precipitation, lighting, an up draft and a downdraft are present turning the cloud to a cumulonimbus cloud. And finally, the Dissipating stage when the downdraft becomes strong enough to essentially cut off the updraft and weaken the system. This is how a typical single cell thunderstorm is formed and dies. However, a Supercell thunderstorm has the added energy of a spiraling vortex, during its mature stage, that provides a strong updraft that cannot be easily cut off by a downdraft. These are types of thunderstorms that have the potential to form tornadoes.
When thunderstorms form near an airport or airway the multitude of concentrated hazards make it dangerous for in-flight and airport operations. Leading to IFR conditions, the need to solicit PIREPS and for safety purposes, delays and diverted flights. Cloud cover and heavy precipitation reduces visibility, cold moist air causes icing, wind shears make landing and taking-off difficult, excessive rain and hail can make runway conditions unsafe. The numerous hazards focused in an area is why thunderstorms are so detrimental to aviation.
https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/storms/how-thunderstorms-form
https://www.globalweatherclimatecenter.com/climate-topics/previous/2
https://www.experimentalaircraft.info/flight-planning/aviation-hazards-4.php
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