clear-air turbulence
noun
: sudden severe turbulence occurring in cloudless regions that causes violent jarring or buffeting of aircraft
Examples of clear-air turbulence in a Sentence
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But looking at how climate change affects wind speeds in the upper atmosphere hasn’t proven very helpful in understanding clear-air turbulence, Williams said.
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ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
Instances of moderate or more violent clear-air turbulence have increased by 37% over the north Atlantic Ocean over the last 40 years, according to a 2023 study analyzing data from 1979 to 2020.
—Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
There have been several incidents of severe turbulence disrupting flights recently, including last year when actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila Alves experienced severe clear-air turbulence on a Lufthansa flight from Austin, Texas, to Frankfurt, Germany.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2024
At high altitudes, planes can run into clear-air turbulence, which is dangerously invisible to the eye and to radars, often striking with no warning.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 2 July 2024
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ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
Instances of moderate or more violent clear-air turbulence have increased by 37% over the north Atlantic Ocean over the last 40 years, according to a 2023 study analyzing data from 1979 to 2020.
—Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
There have been several incidents of severe turbulence disrupting flights recently, including last year when actor Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camila Alves experienced severe clear-air turbulence on a Lufthansa flight from Austin, Texas, to Frankfurt, Germany.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2024
At high altitudes, planes can run into clear-air turbulence, which is dangerously invisible to the eye and to radars, often striking with no warning.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 2 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for clear-air turbulence
Cite this Entry
“Clear-air turbulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clear-air%20turbulence. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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