So I met an Entry Clearance Officer...

Well let me ask you this (and I know you just said you get tired of answering questions).....clear air turbulence....is there no system to tell where it is?

Well let me ask you this (and I know you just said you get tired of answering questions).....clear air turbulence....is there no system to tell where it is?

Yes, it is definitely possible to forecast where it is likely to be, even if it can't be easily detected, because the WAFC (World Area Forecast Centre) produces clear air turbulence (CAT) forecast charts every 6 hours. (There are two WAFCs in the world - the London WAFC is in Met Office HQ, Exeter and I think the Washington WAFC is located in Kentucky, US).

I don't forecast CAT as part of my job, so I don't know the specifics of predicting it, but I use the WAFC charts to brief pilots on where the turbulence is expected to be, at what height and how severe. Generally, it occurs around the jet streams up around 25,000-40,000 FT, where the winds are strongest...  therefore there is a steep pressure gradient and large changes in wind speeds between the jet core and the surrounding air, which causes turbulence to develop. There are other situations in which you can get CAT at lower levels as well though

This is actually the CAT Max/Sig WX chart issued by the Met Office this morning, valid for 0600 tomorrow morning: http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax/PGSE05.PNG

This is actually the CAT Max/Sig WX chart issued by the Met Office this morning, valid for 0600 tomorrow morning: http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/fax/PGSE05.PNG

Oh that's cool!

I just hate the stuff, but when I had the chance to speak to a USAF pilot he just gave me a withering look and shook his head.

I love weather. I don't know if the Weather Channel was around when you were in the US, but I was a junky. Twenty four hour weather! With Storm Chasers and such....

Someone once called the Weather Channel "Sesame Street for adults." Truer words . . .

Someone once called the Weather Channel "Sesame Street for adults." Truer words . . .

I will stew over that for days now.....

There was a guy recently who said, "....the type of people who watch box sets and feel slightly superior to TV viewers...." (I think it was in reference to North Londoners).

And I was like, "That's me!!!!! Oh no!!!!"

I told my wife and she said, "You know, it's not always about you. The only thing worse than a hipster is an old guy trying to be a hipster."

So now I am thinking about shaving off my beard, but really I grew it because my chin looks a little weak.