flight turbulence forecast

CX382 turbulence forecast

Cathay Pacific · Zurich (ZRH) to Hong Kong (HKG)

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

This date's schedule isn't confirmed yet. This is the air CX382 flies through if it leaves at its usual time.

Bumpiest stretchSmooth

Smooth all the way. Sit back and enjoy the view.

ZRH11:55Zurich
11h 20m
HKG06:15Hong Kong
Model run 6 Nov, 12:00 UTC · checked just now
ZRHHKG
SmoothLightModerateSevere The planned route of CX382, coloured stretch by stretch by its forecast.
Bumpiest stretch
Smooth
Flight time
11h 20m
Distance
9,291 km
Cruise altitude
37,000 ft
Weather models
3 blended
Model agreement
High
Aircraft
Airbus A350

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 – 11h 20mSmooth

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.

Thunderstorms near the route

Between 5h 9m and 10h 34m into the flight the forecast has a few thunderstorms, the nearest about 30 km from the planned line.

The ride line can stay calm with storms nearby. It follows the planned track at cruise height, above most storm tops. Pilots don't fly through storms: the weather radar in the nose shows each one, and the rule is to stay at least 20 nautical miles (about 37 km) away. Usually that means a detour of a few minutes.

The closest of these is within the 20 nm the crew has to keep, so expect a small turn around it. The line on the map is the planned route; the real track will bend around the storm.

in the app

This forecast changes. FlyBud tells you when.

A new weather model run lands every few hours. Add CX382 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 CX382 flight on our records, as the airline last reported it.

CX382 · Sun 25 OctArrived · 43 min late
Departs · ZRH
12:02
Scheduled 11:55
Arrives · HKG
06:58
Scheduled 06:15 · Terminal 1

Last update 12 days ago

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

The aircraft

What CX382 is flown with, and how it handles bumpy air.

Airbus A350

Type code
A350
Seats on this flight
334

Recently flown with: A350, Airbus A350.

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.

The airline

Cathay Pacific

Flying since
1946
Alliance
Oneworld
Hubs
Hong Kong
Country
Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific safety record →

on your lock screen

CX382 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

Zurich (ZRH) → Hong Kong (HKG)

Distance
9,291 km
Flight time
11h 25m
Usual departure
13:30 local
Usual arrival
06:55 local

Forecast any other route →

Recent CX382 flights

The forecast each flight carried, and how it ran.

DateAircraftForecastHow it ran
Sun 25 Oct A350 Moderate 43 min late
Sat 24 Oct A350 Light 12 min late
Thu 22 Oct A350 Light 23 min late
Sun 18 Oct A350 Light 22 min late
Mon 12 Oct A350 Light 22 min late

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 3 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 CX382 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 CX382

Will CX382 be bumpy?

For the flight on Fri 6 Nov: Smooth all the way. Sit back and enjoy the view. The forecast is replaced with every new weather model run, so check back closer to departure.

What plane flies CX382?

Recently CX382 has been flown with: A350, Airbus A350. Airlines can swap the aircraft until shortly before departure.

How long is CX382?

About 11h 25m gate to gate from Zurich to Hong Kong, a distance of about 9,291 km.

What time does CX382 leave?

CX382 usually departs Zurich at 13:30 local time and arrives in Hong Kong at 06:55 local time. Times change; the app tracks the live schedule.

Is turbulence dangerous on CX382?

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 CX382 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.

CX382Smooth