Safety
Mountain Wave Turbulence Added to AWC Products
First G-Airmet with mountain wave tag issued May 4
AWC graphical chart showing mountain wave G-Airmet
The AWC added mountain wave turbulence to its graphical forecasts, with the first tagged G-Airmet issued May 4.

The U.S. Aviation Weather Center (AWC) added mountain wave turbulence to its turbulence product suite on April 30, with the first G-Airmet including the mountain wave tag issued on May 4.

Mountain wave turbulence occurs when air flows over mountainous terrain, creating oscillating atmospheric waves downwind of peaks. These waves can produce severe turbulence at high altitudes, often in clear air where pilots cannot visually detect the hazard. The phenomenon is most common near mountain ranges and can extend significant distances downwind from the terrain that generates it.