The most turbulent routes on Earth

We’re still in the maximum period of summer air traffic. During this time of year, thunderstorms are more widespread east of the Rockies and other parts of the world. With all of these wild weather patterns across the globe, it should be no surprise that we’re hearing more about airline turbulence. It’s estimated that there are at least tens of thousands of instances of turbulence each year.

One of the most notable events with turbulence happened with a Singapore Airlines flight May 21, 2024, from London to Singapore. While cruising at 37,000 feet, it was determined that the plane suffered a “rapid change” in gravitational force that resulted in a sudden drop of over 177 feet in about 4 seconds. This force resulted in many injuries and one death as passengers were thrust upwards in the airline cabin.

Most of the turbulence experienced from flying is usually over mountains, near storms and moving through upper-level jet streams. The currents of air are like a fluid that can move up and down. It can also change direction and speed, which results in frequent airline turbulence.

One of the worst types of turbulence for pilots is “clear air turbulence.” This is caused by wind shear, mostly at high altitudes, when bodies of air masses moving at different speeds come together. This type of event is nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye and conventional radar, as skies are clear. This phenomenon is certainly unpredictable, but it is typically more common during the winter months. According to the CNN article, the 320-mile route from Natori and Tokoname, Japan, is notorious for clear air turbulence.

A website that monitors and studies turbulence is Turbli. According to a CNN article, the site has studied and analyzed more than 10,000 flight paths using U.S. and European data sources. The research determined that a 120-mile route between Mendoza, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile, is the most turbulent for aircraft in the world. The route is surrounded by the Andes Mountains. These large ranges, along with other mountains on Earth, will disrupt airflow patterns, resulting in turbulence. In fact, according to the research, the 10 most turbulent regions on Earth are near mountains.

When I have flown from the West to the eastern part of the country, conditions would often become more turbulent when flying over the Rocky Mountains, even during clear weather. Ironically, the route from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Denver, Colo., is one of the most turbulent flights in the U.S.

According to data from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, severe turbulence resulted in about 200 serious injuries to passengers between 2009 and 2024. It’s also estimated that four people died due to severe turbulence.

Amazingly, there are an average of about 100,000 flights across the globe each day, so major injuries from turbulence are rare. This figure includes passenger, military and cargo flights. About 90% of these journeys are passenger. According to FlightRadar 24, the greatest number of flights in a single day was 225,000 on July 24, 2025. That number may be higher as there is sensitive air traffic, such as military aircraft, that is not reported.

With more extreme conditions across the globe, air turbulence is expected to get worse as temperature and wind patterns change more abruptly. According to the University of Reading, within the past 40 years, severe turbulence has increased by approximately 55%. Despite the occasional air turbulence, airplanes are built to handle some of the worst cases that may develop. In addition, new technologies, sophisticated onboard instruments and pilot training have helped to reduce these issues to a minimum.
In terms of our local weather, conditions continue to be extremely dry across the Inland Northwest. As of the weekend, 0.14 inches of rain has fallen this month. Since June 1, only 0.27 inches of rain has been recorded, which would make this the driest period at this time of year in recorded history.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the driest year ever observed in Coeur d’Alene occurred in 1929 with a total of 15.18 inches. As of Aug. 10, only 8.42 inches for 2025 have been measured. For the same period, Jan. 1 through Aug. 10, 1929, a total of 9.55 inches was recorded.

It’s still possible that we’ll have a big turnaround with moisture, but it probably will not occur until later in the fall season. However, if the wetter-than-normal weather pattern does not arrive, then we could rival 1929’s figure. The normal precipitation for Coeur d’Alene for an entire year is 26.77 inches. Cliff and I are now predicting moisture totals a little above 20 inches for this year.

The long-range computer models are continuing to show the strong high-pressure system dominating the western U.S. There is a chance of measurable rainfall around the new moon lunar phase of Aug. 22, but this month may be shaping up to be another very dry one once again.

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Contact Randy Mann at [email protected].