A commercial aircraft is flying westbound east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. The pilot observes billow clouds ne
ar the same altitude as the aircraft to the south, and immediately turns on the "fasten seat belt" sign. Explain why the aircraft experiences an abrupt loss of 500 meters of altitude a short time later.
<em>Billow clouds provide a visible signal to aviation interests of potentially dangerous turbulent sky since they indicate instability in air currents.</em>
Explanation:
Billow clouds are created in regions that are not stable in a meteorological sense. They are frequently present in places with air flows, and have marked vertical shear and weak thermal separation and inversion (colder air stays on top of warmer air). Billow clouds are formed when two air currents of varying speeds meet in the atmosphere. They create a stunning sight that looks like rolling ocean waves. Billow clouds have a very short life span of minutes but they provide a visible signal to aviation interests of potentially dangerous turbulent sky since they indicate instability in air currents, which although may not affect us on the ground but is a concern to aircraft pilots. The turbulence due to the Billow wave is the only logical explanation for the loss of 500 m in altitude of the plane.
