flight turbulence forecast

AA137 turbulence forecast

American Airlines · London (LHR) to Los Angeles (LAX)

Next departure at its usual time · Fri 6 Nov, 11:55 London time

This date's schedule isn't confirmed yet. This is the air AA137 flies through if it leaves at its usual time.

Bumpiest stretchModerate

Smooth or light most of the way, with occasional moderate bumps on descent. The belt sign will likely come on.

LHR11:55London
11h 15m
LAX16:10Los Angeles
Model run 6 Nov, 12:00 UTC · checked just now
LHRLAX
SmoothLightModerateSevere The line is the planned route of AA137, coloured by its own forecast. The shading is the bumpy air and storms forecast at cruise height around the middle of the flight.
Bumpiest stretch
Moderate
Flight time
11h 15m
Distance
8,769 km
Cruise altitude
37,000 ft
Weather models
4 blended
Model agreement
High
Aircraft
Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Bumpiness along the flight

Takeoff on the left, landing on the right. The higher the line, the bumpier the air the forecast expects at that moment.

SmoothLightModerateSevere 2h4h6h8h10h Take off Landing

Where, and why

The flight split into stretches: how bumpy each is forecast to be, and what causes it.

Cruise0m – 3h 12mSmooth

Nothing significant forecast here.

At cruise the air is thin and cold, and most of it is calm. The bumps up here come from the jet stream, a band of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast shows where those edges are.

Cruise3h 11m – 3h 58mLight

Mountain waves

Wind blowing over a mountain range makes waves in the air downstream, the way water ripples over rocks in a stream, and those waves can reach cruising height. They are forecast from the same wind and terrain data used here, so the crew knows where they are before departure.

At cruise the air is thin and cold, and most of it is calm. The bumps up here come from the jet stream, a band of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast shows where those edges are.

Cruise3h 58m – 8h 34mSmooth

Nothing significant forecast here.

At cruise the air is thin and cold, and most of it is calm. The bumps up here come from the jet stream, a band of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast shows where those edges are.

Cruise8h 34m – 10h 9mLight

Jet-stream wind shear

Where fast air slides over slower air, usually at the edge of the jet stream, the boundary ripples like a flag. It's the most common kind of turbulence, and it's on the crew's charts before departure. When they meet it, they slow to a set turbulence speed and ride it out.

At cruise the air is thin and cold, and most of it is calm. The bumps up here come from the jet stream, a band of fast wind whose edges stir the air, or from waves set off by mountains far below. This forecast shows where those edges are.

Descent into Los Angeles10h 9m – 11h 15mModerate

Jet-stream wind shear

Where fast air slides over slower air, usually at the edge of the jet stream, the boundary ripples like a flag. It's the most common kind of turbulence, and it's on the crew's charts before departure. When they meet it, they slow to a set turbulence speed and ride it out.

Coming down means flying back through the low, lively air near the ground: afternoon thermals, gusts around the airport. It is the busiest part of the flight for the crew, and the part they train for most.

in the app

This forecast changes. FlyBud tells you when.

A new weather model run lands every few hours. Add AA137 in FlyBud and you get the full turbulence map along your route, a push when the forecast for your flight changes, live tracking and your flight on the lock screen.

Flight status

The latest AA137 flight on our records, as the airline last reported it.

AA137 · Sun 25 OctArrived · On time
Departs · LHR
11:59
Scheduled 11:55 · Terminal 3
Arrives · LAX
16:08
Scheduled 16:10 · Terminal B

Last update 12 days ago

Gate changes, delays and the baggage belt, pushed to your phone as they happen.

The aircraft

What AA137 is flown with, and how it handles bumpy air.

Boeing 787-9

Type code
B789
First flew
2009
In service since
2011
Economy seating
3-3-3
Engines
2
Range
15,370 km
Cabin pressure equal to
6,000 ft

Bigger and heavier aircraft are moved less by the same patch of air, and every airliner is designed for much stronger turbulence than it will meet.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner safety record →

The airline

American Airlines

Flying since
1926
Alliance
oneworld
Hubs
Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, Chicago O'Hare
Country
United States

American Airlines safety record →

on your lock screen

AA137 without unlocking your phone

Gate, delay, time to landing and the next bumpy stretch, on the lock screen from boarding to the baggage belt.

The route

London (LHR) → Los Angeles (LAX)

Distance
8,769 km
Flight time
11h 15m
Usual departure
11:55 local
Usual arrival
16:10 local

Forecast any other route →

Recent AA137 flights

The forecast each flight carried, and how it ran.

DateAircraftForecastHow it ran
Sun 25 Oct 787 Light On time

What each level feels like

Smooth
Calm air. Nothing to notice beyond the hum of the engines.
Light
Gentle ripples and the odd dip. Drinks stay put, and walking to the toilet is fine.
Moderate
Clear bumps. Drinks may slosh and the belt sign comes on. Uncomfortable, but the pilots stay in full control.
Severe
Strong jolts, and loose items can move. This is rare, and it's why the belt sign exists. Crews slow down and change altitude to get out of it.

How this forecast is made

The planned route is sampled from gate to gate at the altitude the aircraft flies, through 4 independent global weather models, and corrected with turbulence reports radioed in by pilots in the last few hours. Each new model run replaces the forecast; nothing here is a guess from the airline's history.

The independent weather models behind this forecast agree on this ride.

Planned route · timing and conditions may change.

the live map

Watch the air along the route move

The app draws the route of AA137 over the moving forecast: bumpy air, storms and the winds at cruise height. Scrub through the flight hour by hour.

Why turbulence isn't dangerous

Aircraft are designed for much worse.

Airliners are tested to loads well beyond anything turbulence produces. The wings are meant to flex, so seeing them move is normal.

Crews know where it is.

Your crew has forecasts like this one, live reports from other pilots and their own weather radar, and they change altitude to stay out of bumpy air.

Keep your belt on.

Almost all turbulence injuries happen to people who are standing or not buckled in. Seated with your belt on, turbulence is uncomfortable but not dangerous.

Is turbulence dangerous? The long answer →

Questions about AA137

Will AA137 be bumpy?

For the flight on Fri 6 Nov: Smooth or light most of the way, with occasional moderate bumps on descent. The belt sign will likely come on. The forecast is replaced with every new weather model run, so check back closer to departure.

What plane flies AA137?

Recently AA137 has been flown with: Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Airlines can swap the aircraft until shortly before departure.

How long is AA137?

About 11h 15m gate to gate from London to Los Angeles, a distance of about 8,769 km.

What time does AA137 leave?

AA137 usually departs London at 11:55 local time and arrives in Los Angeles at 16:10 local time. Times change; the app tracks the live schedule.

Is turbulence dangerous on AA137?

Turbulence is uncomfortable, not dangerous to the aircraft. Airliners are certified for loads far beyond anything turbulence produces, and crews plan around the bumpy patches with the same kind of forecast as this one. Injuries are almost always to people who were standing or unbuckled, so keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you're seated.

How accurate is this turbulence forecast?

It is a forecast, so it is best within a day or so of departure and improves with every model run. The bumpy patches it finds are usually in the right place, but their timing can shift by a few minutes and the crew may change altitude to avoid them, so the ride you get is often smoother than the forecast.

flybud

Fly AA137 knowing what's ahead

The turbulence forecast for your exact flight, live tracking, delay alerts and arrival weather. Built for people who'd rather know.

AA137Moderate