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WHAT IS CAT?

Clear air turbulence is the term for medium or high-

level turbulence in regions with significant wind shear.

Turbulent areas of this kind are mostly free of clouds. However, sometimes you can find cloud formations

(mostly ice clouds) that are typical for turbulent areas,

or a higher concentration of water vapor in the vicinity of CAT. Both of these hint strongly at the presence of CAT.

AVIATION HAZARD 

Besides icing and poor visibility, turbulence is one of the most common cause of weather-related aircraft accidents. 

The risk for CAT is high during the cruise phase of flight in high altitudes, in the vicinity of a jet stream, over high mountains if the wind speed is high and above and near cumulonimbus clouds

TYPES & SEVERITY
IN C.A.T

What makes CAT so dangerous is its sudden appearance. Slight turbulence can cause discomfort for passengers, or even injuries if they do not fasten their seat belts. Extreme CAT can inflict structural damage on the airplane.

THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF 
JET STREAMS

Jet streams are intense, relatively narrow, quasi-horizontal currents of wind that are accompanied by strong vertical wind shear. They are found at or near the tropopause.

By definition, the wind speed is at least 30 m/s or

60 kt in a jet stream.

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There is a strong relationship between the jet stream and the clear air turbulence. CAT is caused by the vertical and horizontal wind shear of jet streams.

CAT is strongest on the cold side of the jet, next to and just underneath the axis of the jet.

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