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Basic Aviation Meteorology

Basic Aviation Meteorology

Atmosphere
Formation of Cloud
Wind and windshear
Thunderstorm

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Atmosphere
Troposphere (7km-20km
above surface)
99% of atmosphere water
Most weather
Higher altitude lower
temperature

Tropopause (ceiling of
Troposphere
Most flight

Stratosphere (13km-50km
above surface)
Higher altitude higher
temperature

Formation of Cloud
Dew point The temperature at which the water
becomes saturated
Associated with relative humidity (RH)
When air is cooled to its dew point, water vapour
condenses into droplets and forms cloud

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Formation of cloud
Cloud base: height
of cloud = (Ground
temperature dew
point) x 400
Why cloud base?
Formation of
clouds:
Orographic lift
Advection
Turbulence
Convergence

Formation of cloud

Orographic lift

Advection (fog)

Turbulence
Convergence

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Wind and Windshear

Uneven heating of earth surface
Different temperature, different rate
Air rise low pressure (air cool and
condense)
Air sink high pressure
Flow: High to low
Wind

Wind and Windshear

Lines joining points of equal sea-level pressure
Coriolis force

isobars

Earth rotate anti-clockwise

Wind: vector of
Pressure Gradient x Coriolis force

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Wind and Windshear

Jet Stream
Strong upper level winds
Flow from West to East, stronger in
Winter
Japan
100-250 knots (Nautical mile/hr)
HK-Vancouver shorter than reverse

Wind and Windshear

Windshear
Change of wind direction (head wind/tail wind) and/or speed
Affect aircraft lift (and descend rate)
May cause loss of control

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Wind and Windshear

Common causes of windshear:
Mountain wave
Microburst
Microburst:
Intense localized
cool air descends
and spread onto the
ground.

Diagram extracted from HKO website 2014

Wind and Wind shear

Turbulence
Rapid irregular motion of air
Usually happen in clouds due to up and down movement of air
mass
Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) dry therefore Clear or invisible
Mountain wave
Jet stream
Weather radar impossible to detect

Source: SCMP http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1430508/eleveninjured-hong-kong-bound-cathay-flight-hit-turbulance-over?page=all

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Thunderstorm
Contains nearly all weather hazards:
Strong wind/ windshear/ turbulence
Heavy rain (poor visibility)
Lightning
Severe icing
Hails

Cause:
1. Unstable atmosphere (low pressure?)
2. Supply of moisture
3. Uplift of air mass

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Thunderstorm
Uplift of air mass:
Orographic lift
Cold front

Phenomenon
Towering cloud
Cumulonimbus (Cb)

Avoid in all cases

Safe to fly above? Near edge?
Why Singapore no typhoon?
QZ8501

Bibliography
Aircraft General Knowledge, Navigation, Meteorology,
Jeremy M Pratt, Airplane Flight Equipment Limited, 2003. ISBN: 9781874783183