Turbulence Map

Note on the map

This map is generated using data from the GTG forecasts provided by NOAA/NWS and it's updated every 6 hours. The original resolution of the data is 0.25°, but we present it with 0.5° for speeding the page load. Users can choose to see the original 0.25° resolution by clicking the "Increase resolution" button.

Comparison to the full forecast

The full forecasts is the one available at turbli.com main page, where you set the departure, arrival and date, and then select the flight. The full forecast and this interactive map use the same raw data, but there are differences in the post-processing of it.

Advantages

Visualization: This interactive map allows visualizing the turbulent areas that your flight might cross, providing a better context than the plots presented in the full forecasts page.

Adding waypoints: Flight routes tend to follow a geodesic (the shortest path between two coordinates), but the exact route is determined by the airline, control tower indications and the pilot. By adding waypoints you can explore the chances of turbulence over the possible routes that your flight might take. In the full forecast, the route is always assumed to be a geodesic, and turbulence is measured over a wide area around it to cover most of the possible routes.

Disadvantages

Other weather variables: The full forecast provides data on wind velocities, thunderstorm activity (which can also induce turbulence) and crossover winds during takeoff and landing. This information is not available in the interactive map.

Aircraft effects: Turbulence acts differently on every aircraft. The automated forecast takes the plane model into account when calibrating turbulence, but there is no such option in the interactive map.

Altitude blending: The full forecast provides data over all the altitudes that your flight will take during climb, cruise and descent. In the interactive map, you are limited to a single altitude at the time.

Time blending: If you are taking a 12 h flight, there will be several forecast outputs that apply to your flight as it progresses. In the full forecast, all the applicable forecast times are blended into a single output. In the interactive map, you are limited to a single time.