It is estimated that about 75.48 % of flight delays are caused as a result of bad weather and thunderstorms are the most common cause to blame. So the question is that even though we have modern technology like a weather radar to help us through these kind of situations why is it that flying in thunderstorms lead to so many aircraft delays and flight cancellations by pilot’s. This is exactly why modern aircrafts are equipped with weather radar systems to help them avoid thunderstorms and navigate around thunderstorms.
Kinds of Thunderstorms
The size and speed of thunderstorms are both leading factors used by atc and pilots in-flight to judge what impact the thunderstorm may have on travel. Here is a list of a few different types of thunderstorms that effect weather conditions and lead to cancellations.
Single Cell Thunderstorms
This is most basic type of thunderstorm around. They do not last for a very long period of time and have strong winds registered below 50mph. Even though they are not as serious as other types of thunderstorms they can still cause turbulence and downdrafts for an aircraft and its pilot.
Multi Cell Clusters
They last longer than single cell thunderstorms and their speed tops out to be below 60 miles per hour. They can lead to medium to severe amounts of turbulence and the heavy rain associated with this type of thunderstorm can cause problems for departing and arriving aircrafts at airports for their pilots.
Squall Lines
They are recorded to have wind speeds higher than 70 mph and are a long line of thunderstorms. Not only do they lead to severe turbulence for the plane and its pilot but it causes safety concerns for flights both during takeoff and landing for aircrafts at airports
Supercell Thunderstorms
These are severe thunderstorms with wind speeds in excess of 100 mph and can also turn in to tornadoes. Due to the storm’s problems like hazardous hail and heavy winds associated with this kind of storm they are extremely dangerous and pilots will attempt to avoid the thunderstorm all together by rerouting commercial aircrafts around the storm and navigate around it.
Mesoscale Convective Systems
These are classified as huge thunderstorms which can effect areas of over 100,000 square kilometers and go on for hours. The wind’s gust is not as dangerous for an aircraft’s safety since they only go up to 60 mph but because of the size of the storm and difficult weather it can disrupt flights paths and aircrafts and instead fly them around severe weather.
What Makes a Storm A Problem for Flights
Wind is a major factor when deciding on the danger of extreme weather conditions of a severe storm and if a flight should avoid going airborne. Wind shear is also a concern which is when storms create drastic and sudden change in the direction as well as the speed of the wind which effects turbulence.
Microbursts and downdrafts are another concern which can cause aircrafts to lose altitude quickly and causes dire safety concerns with landing a flight. These storms are associated with heavy precipitation and reduces visibility for pilots and radars.
Turbulence associated with thunderstorms can be difficult for passengers on a plane and the closer an aircraft is to the eye of the storm the worse it can be, particularly at high altitudes. In July of 2024 there was a catastrophic event when 40 passengers sustained injuries when an Air Europa flight had sever turbulence and was forced to land in Brazil en route showing that avoiding flying is a better option sometimes.
Lightning strikes are not as dangerous as they used to be with the advent of modern engineering designed to withstand lightning strikes, but lightning can still can lead to the need for maintenance which can affect flights and significant delays. So you need not fret about being struck by lightning because it cant cause significant damage. However it can effect electrical equipment of the plane.
Some storms produce Hail and that is another weather phenomena that is also a threat to an aircraft and is dangerous weather which can damage the plane’s exterior as well as its engine of the aircraft also. Climate change is to blame for worsening weather conditions and makes thunderstorms more intense and frequent.
Is it Safe to Fly Through Storms
Given that modern engineering has improved considerably as well as its techniques commercial planes are better able of handling thunderstorms.
Given that all aircrafts are required to meet minimum safety requirements of the authorities like the FAA or CAA. Plus planes now come with Doppler Weather Radar Systems which pilots use to fly around storms and deviate rather than go through one so the threat to aircrafts is reduced.
However in some cases they are unavoidable all together and through the use of advanced radar tech pilots can find safe paths that have less precipitation and turbulence. Since they can communicate with aviation traffic control they can decide whether it is better to fly below or above the storm in question and helps to avoid the center of the storm with the worst conditions.
The simple answer to the question “Can Airlines Fly Through Thunderstorms” is yes they are equipped to handle adverse weather conditions since they have an onboard weather radar, however pilots, airlines, and air traffic control do their best to avoid adverse weather like hail, winds and lightning that can be hard to spot.
How Do Airlines Make The Decision to Delay and Cancel Flights
If stormy weather occurs near an airport, traffic control and airlines work together to make a decision to cancel or delay a flight to keep passengers and crew safe. They first take a look at the basic safety parameters when it comes to visibility and windspeed and if the it exceeds the threshold limits the flight is called off or delayed.
Plus an airline works together with its meteorologists, pilots and flight dispatchers while making assessments on safety to ensure safety of the crew and its passengers. During a fast moving storm delays are best but sometimes depending on the levels of safety risk they may be called off all together due to weather.
Planes that are already on a flight when a storm develops work with traffic control to find the best reroute around the storm cell and the best way to manage a safe landing which depends on things like cockpit visibility, ground safety crew and runway conditions which may lead to a diverted flight to a another airport. If the plane is low on fuel pilots must let the plane hover around till the conditions for landing improve and the storm passes and maintain a holding pattern. Either way, delays should be expected even when being redirected to an alternate airport.