flight turbulence forecast

MH191 turbulence forecast

Malaysia Airlines · New Delhi (DEL) to Sepang (KUL)

The forecast for its last flight, Mon 12 Oct

We have no upcoming MH191 departure on record, so this is the forecast its most recent flight carried.

Bumpiest stretchSmooth

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

DEL23:01New Delhi
5h 25m
KUL06:47Sepang
Model run 12 Oct, 18:00 UTC
DELKUL
SmoothLightModerateSevere The planned route of MH191, coloured stretch by stretch by its forecast.
Bumpiest stretch
Smooth
Flight time
5h 25m
Distance
3,880 km
Cruise altitude
37,000 ft
Weather models
3 blended
Model agreement
High
Aircraft
Airbus A330

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 1h2h3h4h Take off Landing

Where, and why

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

Cruise0m – 5h 25mSmooth

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 2h 7m and 5h 11m into the flight the forecast has a few thunderstorms, some on the planned line itself.

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 MH191 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 MH191 flight on our records, as the airline last reported it.

MH191 · Mon 12 OctArrived · 8 min early
Departs · DEL
23:01
Scheduled 23:00 · Terminal 3
Arrives · KUL
06:47
Scheduled 06:55 · Terminal 1

Last update 24 days ago

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

The aircraft

What MH191 is flown with, and how it handles bumpy air.

Airbus A330-300

Type code
A333
Seats on this flight
290
First flew
1992
In service since
1994
Economy seating
2-4-2
Engines
2
Range
11,750 km
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 A330 safety record →

The airline

Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines operates MH191.

on your lock screen

MH191 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

New Delhi (DEL) → Sepang (KUL)

Distance
3,880 km
Flight time
5h 25m
Usual departure
23:00 local
Usual arrival
06:55 local

Forecast any other route →

Recent MH191 flights

The forecast each flight carried, and how it ran.

DateAircraftForecastHow it ran
Mon 12 Oct A330 Smooth 8 min early

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 MH191 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 MH191

Will MH191 be bumpy?

Forecasts for MH191 open about three days before departure. Until then no weather model reaches far enough ahead to say anything honest about the ride.

What plane flies MH191?

Recently MH191 has been flown with: Airbus A330. Airlines can swap the aircraft until shortly before departure.

How long is MH191?

About 5h 25m gate to gate from New Delhi to Sepang, a distance of about 3,880 km.

What time does MH191 leave?

MH191 usually departs New Delhi at 23:00 local time and arrives in Sepang at 06:55 local time. Times change; the app tracks the live schedule.

Is turbulence dangerous on MH191?

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 MH191 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.

MH191Smooth