Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

According to Met Éireann, the Atlantic jet stream causing strong winds is likely to bring “unsettled conditions” to Ireland later this week. Alamy Stock Photo

Europe-bound planes reach high speeds of over 1,200km/h due to 'extreme' jet stream winds

One British Airways flight travelling from the US to Portugal reached a ground speed of 1,344km/h as it caught a lift from the strong Atlantic jet stream.

SEVERAL TRANSATLANTIC COMMERCIAL flights have reached speeds of well over 1,200 kilometres per hour (km/h) due to a powerful jet stream this week.

The jet stream is a wind between 30,000 and 40,000 feet high in the atmosphere that is travelling from west to east, meandering across the Atlantic Ocean with speeds of about 305 to 355 kilometres an hour.

Airline companies are expected to use the jet stream off the east coast of the US to pick up speed and save on fuel as they travel east across the Atlantic.

The jet stream is one of the reasons why the trip from the US to Ireland is faster than the journey from here to the US – a flight from Dublin to New York generally takes seven hours and 50 minutes, while a flight in the other direction takes only six hours and 30 minutes.

This week, the jet stream has been “supercharged” with high wind speeds of 418km/h, BBC Weather has reported.

One commercial aircraft, a British Airways flight travelling from New York to Lisbon reached a ground speed of 1,344km/h as it caught a lift in the “extreme” winds, according to BBC Weather.

That is approximately 420km/h faster than a typical top speed for such a flight, and is approximately 110km/h faster than the speed of sound.

The flight shaved an hour off its estimated travel time, and potentially broke commercial flight speed records.

The flight was one of several instances where increased flight speeds were recorded this week.

Paul Williams, a professor of meteorology at the University of Reading, said that the increased speed is a result of climate change, with typical speeds increasing by about 2% for every one degree increase in global warming. 

“The projections are for a further increase, maybe a doubling or trebling of the amount of severe turbulence in large parts of the jet stream by, for example, the 2060s,” Williams told BBC News.

Irish warnings

According to Met Éireann, the Atlantic jet stream causing strong winds is likely to bring “unsettled conditions” to Ireland later this week.

Met Éireann has said that the “orientation of the jet stream towards the end of the week will support the development of deep low pressure systems to track near Ireland this weekend”.

It will mean “unsettled conditions bringing wet and possibly very windy weather at times from Friday onwards”.

The national forecaster has issued a weather advisory for Thursday night and Friday to say that “very strong winds” are likely, as well as high seas and spells of heavy rain.

In the UK, the Met Office has warned of disruptive weather and potentially the “strongest winds of the winter so far”.

Current indications for Friday, Met Éireann says, suggest that it will be a very windy day with near gale force southwesterly winds developing, potentially reaching gale force in places.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

View 48 comments
Close
48 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel

     
    JournalTv
    News in 60 seconds