flight turbulence forecast

SQ254 turbulence forecast

Singapore Airlines · Darwin (DRW) to Singapore (SIN)

Sat 7 Nov · departs 15:50 Darwin time

Bumpiest stretchSmooth

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

DRW15:50Darwin
4h 45m
SIN19:05Singapore
Model run 5 Nov, 18:00 UTC · checked just now
DRWSIN
SmoothLightModerateSevere The planned route of SQ254, coloured stretch by stretch by its forecast.
Bumpiest stretch
Smooth
Flight time
4h 45m
Cruise altitude
35,000 ft
Weather models
3 blended
Model agreement
High
Aircraft
Boeing 737 MAX

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 1h2h3h Take off Landing

Where, and why

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

Cruise0m – 4h 45mSmooth

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

From 0m to 12m into the flight the forecast has thunderstorms 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 SQ254 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 SQ254 flight on our records, as the airline last reported it.

SQ254 · Sat 7 NovScheduled
Departs · DRW
15:50
Darwin
Arrives · SIN
19:05
Singapore

Last update 9 h ago

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

Weather on arrival

26° and light drizzle in Singapore around landing time.

The aircraft

What SQ254 is flown with, and how it handles bumpy air.

Boeing 737 MAX 8

Type code
B38M
Seats on this flight
154
First flew
2016
In service since
2017
Economy seating
3-3
Engines
2
Range
6,480 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.

Boeing 737 MAX safety record →

The airline

Singapore Airlines

Flying since
1972
Alliance
Star Alliance
Hubs
Singapore
Country
Singapore

Singapore Airlines safety record →

on your lock screen

SQ254 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

Darwin (DRW) → Singapore (SIN)

Flight time
4h 45m
Usual departure
15:50 local
Usual arrival
19:05 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 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 SQ254 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 SQ254

Will SQ254 be bumpy?

For the flight on Sat 7 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 SQ254?

Recently SQ254 has been flown with: Boeing 737 MAX. Airlines can swap the aircraft until shortly before departure.

How long is SQ254?

About 4h 45m gate to gate from Darwin to Singapore.

What time does SQ254 leave?

SQ254 usually departs Darwin at 15:50 local time and arrives in Singapore at 19:05 local time. Times change; the app tracks the live schedule.

Is turbulence dangerous on SQ254?

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 SQ254 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.

SQ254Smooth