Q: What are the factors that cause turbulence?

• Cumulus and thunderclouds: The heat resulting from the Earth’s surface causes the air to move vertically upward, and when the amount of air moving upward increases, the strength of the air turbulence increases. Cumulus clouds are usually saturated with water, which turns into cold with cold, and they contain high electrical charges, which is the sign of lightning. . The rapid rise and fall of air causes disturbance in the air surrounding the clouds up to a distance of tens of kilometers.

• Mountains and highlands: When air passes close to the surface of the Earth, it collides with mountains and highlands, changing its direction upward and quickly, causing turbulence in the air surrounding the highlands.

• High-speed air currents “jet stream”: air currents that occur at high altitudes and at a speed of up to 300 km/hour. Due to the rotation of the Earth and differences in temperatures, the direction of the air changes, causing turbulence in the air.

• Air masses: The collision of cold air masses with hot air masses, which occurs at varying altitudes. The collision of cold and hot air fronts and their interference causes air turbulence.

• Air shear: Air shear is a difference in wind speed or direction between two points in a narrow air space. This difference may be vertical or horizontal, and it is similar to the friction that results from the contact of two bodies during their movement against each other.