Prof Paul Williams

A tale of two press releases. One says the jet stream is slowing down, the other says it is speeding up. How can they both be right? In fact, as I explained in this talk at the Andorra Weather Meeting, there is no contradiction. The jet stream is changing in different ways at different altitudes.

I enjoyed speaking about the jet stream and turbulence to weather presenters from around the world at the Andorra Weather Meeting this weekend!

Severe turbulence is expected to double. What if plane design learned from birds? | CBC Radio Pilots can’t see it coming, and it’s hard to avoid. But severe clear-air turbulence can shake a plane ‘like King Kong.’ It’s on the rise, and forecast to get worse due to climate change. The rise has ...

Turbulence is growing faster than our ability to predict it, as I explain to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation here...

www.cbc.ca/radio/whaton...

Great to spend a few days in Toulouse this week. The home of so many great things in aviation!

One of the true joys of an academic career is examining a PhD student on their past 3+ years of ground-breaking research and awarding them their doctorate. Congratulations Dr Suzanne Salles!

It's great to be visiting ISAE (the Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space) in France today.

Exciting visit to Lazarski University in Warsaw this week, to discuss how climate change is affecting aviation.

I am excited to be in Warsaw this week to speak at the 13th European Aviation Conference. Exciting discussions about the future of aviation!

Our new study finds that the upper atmosphere is becoming more sheared and less stratified because of climate change. Both these changes are making the air less stable and more conducive to turbulence.

Published in the November issue of Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.

doi.org/10.1175/JAS-...

I'd like to read that novel!

UK airports are set to get NOISIER due to climate change, experts warn If you live near an airport, it might be wise to invest in a decent pair of earplugs - because the noise of departing aircraft is set to get even worse.

Our new study published this month finds that climate change will tend to create more noise around airports across Europe.

The lift generated by a departing aircraft is less in warmer air, reducing climb angles by up to 7.5%.

Study: doi.org/10.3390/aero...

www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/...

Focus on Africa - South Africa building fire: What happened to survivors? - BBC Sounds More than 70 people died in the Usindiso building in central Johannesburg in 2023

I was interviewed on the BBC World Service's "Focus on Africa" show earlier this month, to discuss turbulence on flights from an African angle.

Listen to the discussion here (starting at around 22:40).

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Atmospheric scientists: submit your paper to our special issue on "Wind-Speed Variability from Tropopause to Surface" in the journal Meteorology.

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026.

Further details and submission link: www.mdpi.com/journal/mete...

It's not just that airport expansion will make climate change worse.

Climate change will also make airports worse.

New study of 30 European airports projects warming will increase the number of people exposed to noise pollution by mid-century
www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12...

I am pleased to share that I have started a new role as Head of Department today.

I joined the University of Reading's renowned Department of Meteorology 22 years ago, and I am looking forward to taking over the reins for a while.

Reading University research shows turbulent flights to increase University of Reading research shows that clear-air turbulence, which is invisible to aircraft, is set to get worse.

Our new study finds that the upper atmosphere is becoming more sheared and less stratified because of climate change. Both these changes are making the atmosphere less stable and more conducive to turbulence.

Covered by the BBC here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I love meeting face-to-face at in-person conferences. There's something magical about being physically present in the same place as like-minded people. Virtual meetings have their place, and favour a hybrid-first approach to maximise accessibility, but I will always choose to travel if I can.

Taking my son to Brazil for a much-needed holiday!

Guess what was the top most-read article on the BBC News website today?

And also the most engaged with, achieving well over 1,000 comments so far!

I am happy to be quoted in it, explaining why servere turbulence is becoming more frequent.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Turbulence is increasing. Here's how the aviation industry is trying to smooth things out Climate change is creating stronger turbulence. Aircraft designers hope innovative new techniques will reduce its effects.

I am very happy to be featured in this BBC article on how the aviation sector is responding to increased turbulence.

www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...

Congratulations to my PhD student Isabel Smith, who officially became Dr Smith today!

I am very lucky to lead a fantastic research group in aviation turbulence at the University of Reading, pictured here having lunch today with a visitor. Thank you all for your contributions to our group's success.

How is climate change affecting aviation? And how can the sector adapt? We had a stimulating Q&A session on these topics at an Airbus conference in Toulouse recently.

Did you know that turbulence is the leading cause of weather-related commercial aircraft accidents? It accounts for 71% of them, according to a study we published in 2019, as I discussed at this recent presentation for Airbus in Toulouse.

It's complicated 😂

It's complicated 😂

Is the jet stream speeding up because of climate change, helping eastbound flights reach record-breaking ground speeds? I discussed the evidence in this recent presentation at the Airbus Leadership University in Toulouse.

It was a pleasure to share the stage with Camille Sagues and Veronique Roca at this recent Airbus event, discussing the crucial topic of adaptation of the aviation sector to climate change.

Turbulence is getting worse. Here's what passengers should know before summer flights. Some kinds of turbulence are less common in summer, but storms can bring bumpy rides for airplane passengers. Here's how to stay safe.

Here are my thoughts on what air travellers should know about turbulence before heading to the airport this summer.

www.usatoday.com/story/travel...

I have been in Peru this week, to speak at an ICAO workshop on severe meteorological phenomena and aviation. It is great to see that the international aviation community is taking seriously the increasing risks of severe weather associated with climate change.