Los Angeles to Baltimore Turbulence Forecast

LAX → BWI · 2,324 miles · ~5h 9m

What to Expect

Your flight from Los Angeles to Baltimore crosses a wide variety of landscapes, each with its own potential for turbulence. Immediately after takeoff, you'll be flying over the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, where rising warm air can cause what's known as thermal turbulence. As you head east, you'll encounter the Southern Rockies, Central Rockies, and Front Range, all of which can generate mountain wave turbulence as wind flows over them. Further east, over the Great Plains, clear-air turbulence, or CAT, is common. Depending on the time of year, you might cross Tornado Alley, where severe convective turbulence can occur. As you continue towards Baltimore, you'll fly over the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, where convective and frontal turbulence are possible, and finally the Northern Appalachians, where mechanical turbulence can occur. Nearing the Atlantic Seaboard, you could experience more clear-air turbulence. This sounds like a lot, but pilots are very familiar with these patterns and constantly monitor and adjust their flight path to minimize any bumps.

The Los Angeles to Baltimore route passes over the Southern Rockies in New Mexico and southern Colorado. While somewhat lower than the peaks to the north, these mountains still produce notable mountain wave turbulence, particularly when strong southwesterly winds aloft align perpendicular to the ridgeline.

Turbulence Factors on This Route

• Thermal Turbulence: Extreme desert heating generates strong thermal updrafts that cause low-to-mid-level turbulence, especially in summer afternoons.
• Mountain Wave Turbulence: The Southern Rockies produce lee waves when southwesterly upper-level winds flow across the terrain.
• Clear-Air Turbulence (CAT): The jet stream frequently meanders over the Great Plains, producing wind shear and clear-air turbulence at cruising altitudes.
• Severe Convective Turbulence: Tornado Alley supercells produce some of the most intense convective turbulence in North American aviation.

When Is This Route Bumpiest?

The calmest time to fly this route is generally in the fall, particularly early fall, when the weather patterns tend to be more stable. Winter can also offer smoother flights. Summer, late winter, spring, early spring, and early summer tend to be bumpier. This is because the deserts are heating up, increasing thermal turbulence, and there's more storm activity in Tornado Alley and the Mississippi Valley, leading to convective turbulence. The mountain waves can also be stronger during seasons with greater temperature differences and higher winds aloft.

Tips for This Flight

For the smoothest possible ride, consider booking your flight for early morning, as thermal activity is often less intense then. Any turbulence you might encounter on this route is most likely to feel like driving on a slightly bumpy road, or perhaps a few stronger jolts, like hitting a pothole. To help stay relaxed, choose a seat over the wing, where movement is minimized, and focus on slow, deep breaths, inhaling for four counts and exhaling for six, which can help calm your nervous system. Remember, the flight crew is there to ensure your safety and comfort.

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Forecasts based on NOAA HRRR and GFS atmospheric model data.