jetstreams
High-altitude winds
Jetstreams are narrow bands of fast-moving air currents high in the atmosphere, typically flowing west to east at altitudes where commercial aircraft fly.
They influence weather patterns and can significantly speed or slow transcontinental flights: We caught a tailwind from the jetstream and arrived early.
Usually spelled as two words: jet streams.
Second atmospheric layer up
- westerliesWinds from the sunset
- polar vortexPersistent circulating cold air mass
- subtropicalClimate near the tropics
- circumpolarAround the pole
meridional · isobar · cyclonic · anticyclonic · climate patterns · synoptic · upper atmosphere · pressure systems
Planned aerial trajectory
- tailwindBreeze moving your direction
- headwindWind against travel direction
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
- cruising altitudeSteady airborne elevation maintained
fuel efficiency · transatlantic · airspace · routing · air travel · long-haul · navigation · commercial aviation
Flowing mass of atmosphere
- airflowMovement of atmosphere
- fast-movingTraveling at high velocity
- wind speedMotion rate of air
- wind shearRapid atmospheric velocity shift
updraft · downdraft · crosswind · gust · eddy · wind patterns · prevailing winds · trade winds
Directed rate of motion
- rapidMoving with haste
- swiftMoving with speed
- supersonicExceeding audio velocity
- machAirspeed-to-soundspeed ratio
knots · acceleration · fast-flowing · momentum · high-speed · race · express · hurtle
stratosphere
Second atmospheric layer up
- westerliesWinds from the sunset
- polar vortexPersistent circulating cold air mass
- subtropicalClimate near the tropics
circumpolar · meridional · isobar · cyclonic · anticyclonic · climate patterns · synoptic · upper atmosphere · pressure systems · weather patterns
flight path
Planned aerial trajectory
- tailwindBreeze moving your direction
- headwindWind against travel direction
- turbulenceChaotic flow patterns
cruising altitude · fuel efficiency · transatlantic · airspace · routing · air travel · long-haul · navigation · commercial aviation · flight planning
air current
Flowing mass of atmosphere
- airflowMovement of atmosphere
- fast-movingTraveling at high velocity
- wind speedMotion rate of air
wind shear · updraft · downdraft · crosswind · gust · eddy · wind patterns · prevailing winds · trade winds
velocity
Directed rate of motion
- rapidMoving with haste
- swiftMoving with speed
- supersonicExceeding audio velocity
mach · knots · acceleration · fast-flowing · momentum · high-speed · race · express · hurtle · streak