flight turbulence forecast

LX1839 turbulence forecast

SWISS · Spata-Artemida (ATH) to Zurich (ZRH)

Next departure at its usual time · Sat 7 Nov, 17:40 Spata-Artemida time

This date's schedule isn't confirmed yet. This is the air LX1839 flies through if it leaves at its usual time.

Bumpiest stretchLight

A gentle ride. A few light ripples at most, the kind that barely move your drink.

ATH17:40Spata-Artemida
2h 55m
ZRH19:35Zurich
Model run 6 Nov, 06:00 UTC · checked just now
ATHZRH
SmoothLightModerateSevere The planned route of LX1839, coloured stretch by stretch by its forecast.
Bumpiest stretch
Light
Flight time
2h 55m
Cruise altitude
35,000 ft
Weather models
3 blended
Model agreement
Low
Aircraft
Airbus A320 family

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 1h2h Take off Landing

Where, and why

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

Cruise0m – 57mSmooth

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.

Cruise57m – 2h 36mLight

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 Zurich2h 36m – 2h 55mSmooth

Nothing significant forecast here.

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 LX1839 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 LX1839 flight on our records, as the airline last reported it.

LX1839 · Sun 8 NovScheduled
Departs · ATH
17:40
Spata-Artemida
Arrives · ZRH
19:35
Zurich

Last update 15 h ago

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

The aircraft

What LX1839 is flown with, and how it handles bumpy air.

Airbus A320neo

Type code
A20N
Seats on this flight
180
First flew
1987
In service since
1988
Economy seating
3-3
Engines
2
Cabin pressure equal to
8,000 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.

Airbus A320 family safety record →

The airline

SWISS

Flying since
2002
Alliance
Star Alliance
Hubs
Zurich, Geneva
Country
Switzerland

SWISS safety record →

on your lock screen

LX1839 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

Spata-Artemida (ATH) → Zurich (ZRH)

Flight time
2h 55m
Usual departure
17:40 local
Usual arrival
19:35 local

Forecast any other route →

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 weather models behind this forecast disagree in places, so treat the timing loosely.

Planned route · timing and conditions may change.

the live map

Watch the air along the route move

The app draws the route of LX1839 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 LX1839

Will LX1839 be bumpy?

For the flight on Sat 7 Nov: A gentle ride. A few light ripples at most, the kind that barely move your drink. The forecast is replaced with every new weather model run, so check back closer to departure.

What plane flies LX1839?

Recently LX1839 has been flown with: Airbus A320 family. Airlines can swap the aircraft until shortly before departure.

How long is LX1839?

About 2h 55m gate to gate from Spata-Artemida to Zurich.

What time does LX1839 leave?

LX1839 usually departs Spata-Artemida at 17:40 local time and arrives in Zurich at 19:35 local time. Times change; the app tracks the live schedule.

Is turbulence dangerous on LX1839?

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 LX1839 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.

LX1839Light