How Does Weather Affect Flying?

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How Does Weather Affect Flying Anyone who has ever been stuck in an airport waiting because of weather delays know the role that weather plays in when your plane will take off and land. But, how does the weather affect flying and why can disturbances in the air (or on the ground) delay or even cause flight cancellations?

Ask any seasoned pilot how does weather affect flying and they will explain it this way:

It disrupts visibility. Fog, mist, clouds and the like can all disrupt a pilotâ€™s ability to see the surrounding area. Since most pilots need reference points in order to fly and land safely, low visibility caused by weather conditions can disrupt a flying schedule.
It causes flat light. An optical illusion that causes pilots to lose their depth of field, flat light is most commonly experienced on gray overcast days and can completely obscure a pilotâ€™s view of the surrounding terrain.
It can cause white out conditions. When blowing snow, dust, sand or water causes a complete blurring of any visual references that pilots need to navigate safely. Most commonly experienced in snowy areas, white out conditions can make flying treacherous.
It can cause icing on the wings and engines of a plane. Extremely cold weather conditions can cause dangerous icing on the plane wings and engines which can make handling the plane very difficult; if not impossible.
It can cause severe turbulence. Flying through high winds or any type of rough storm can affect the way a plane can be handled. Most pilots try their best to fly over or under severe storms to avoid any excessive turbulence, but that is not always possible.

While these are just a few of the ways how does weather affect flying, there are a number of other weather-related issues that pilots and airports must contend with in order to ensure that all of their passengers arrive at their destinations safely.

Enjoy!