KJFK EGLL

John F Kennedy International Airport London Heathrow Airport
Route Information
Departure

KJFK (JFK)

Distance

5,539.7 km (2,991.2 nautical miles)

Arrival

EGLL (LHR)

Flight Time

440 minutes (7h 20m)

Flight Profile

Cruise Altitude: 39,000 ft (Flight Level 390)

Route calculated using great circle navigation

Turbulence Comfort Along Route Comfort View
Comfort Score: Combines turbulence probability (GTG forecast) with intensity (ZTI analysis). High scores indicate both high probability AND high intensity turbulence.
Smooth
Comfortable
Noticeable
Uncomfortable
Formula: (Probability × Intensity)
Flight Smoothness Score
8.1 /10
Smoothness
Smooth Flight
31%
Smooth
62%
Light
6%
Moderate
AI-Powered Flight Briefing
📊 11,000 data points analyzed
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Your Journey Beta

15 minutes and 1 hour 10 minutes into the flight: Some moderate bumps expected.
The crew may adjust altitude or ask you to stay seated during these sections.
The rest of the flight should be smooth.

Your route takes you over the Appalachian Mountains and crossing the North Atlantic Ocean – these areas can sometimes cause light turbulence.

Smooth Flight

We're expecting smooth conditions throughout your flight. You can sit back and relax.

Takeoff

Takeoff should feel a bit bumpy initially, with calm conditions around the airport.

Winds Aloft

Winds at cruising altitude are about 72 knots. These winds are favorable and may get you there up to 37 minutes early.

Landing

Landing should feel a bit bumpy on descent with typical approach conditions.

You're in Safe Hands

If you feel nervous at any point, remember that turbulence is expected, safe, and part of normal flying. The crew is monitoring everything, and the aircraft is built to handle far more than anything you will feel. Have a safe and calm flight.

Relaxation Exercises

Live data from ECMWF global forecast models • 12 atmospheric pressure levels analyzed • Updated every 6 hours
Most Common
LIGHT
62% of your flight
Peak Intensity
MODERATE
Brief sections only
Route Breakdown (112 zones)
Moderate
7 zones (6%)
Light
70 zones (62%)
Smooth
35 zones (31%)
Forecast Valid: Oct 15, 18:00 UTC (Generated: Oct 15, 18:00 UTC)
Flight Timeline 7h 20min
Maximum turbulence expected per segment
Takeoff
Moderate
0:30-1:00
Light
1:00-1:30
Moderate
1:30-2:00
Light
2:00-2:29
Light
2:29-2:58
Light
2:58-3:27
Light
3:27-3:56
Light
3:56-4:25
Light
4:25-4:54
Light
4:54-5:23
Light
5:23-5:52
Light
5:52-6:21
Light
6:21-6:50
Light
Landing
Moderate
Smooth
Light
Moderate
Severe
Longer bars indicate higher turbulence intensity. Values shown are the maximum for each time segment.
Turbulence Metrics ZTI and EDR
Comparing Two Turbulence Metrics:
  • ZTI (ZeroTurb Index): Our proprietary composite metric (0.0-1.0 scale)
  • EDR (Eddy Dissipation Rate): ICAO/WMO official standard (m^(2/3)/s scale)
ZTI Scale (Custom)
Smooth
<0.2
Light
0.2-0.5
Moderate
0.5-0.75
Severe
>0.75
EDR Scale (ICAO)
Smooth
<0.1
Light
0.1-0.4
Moderate
0.4-0.7
Severe
>0.7

Detailed Analysis Below: While flights generally follow these patterns, our forecast combines ECMWF and NOAA weather data, atmospheric conditions, and pilot reports to build a route-specific picture, updated every 6 hours. Review the detailed metrics and interactive maps below for a comprehensive understanding of expected conditions along your flight path.

How Aircraft Size Affects Your Comfort

Did you know that the size of your aircraft can affect how turbulence feels? Larger, wide-body aircraft have more mass and inertia, which means they absorb turbulent air movements more smoothly. Smaller regional jets and turboprops are lighter, so passengers may feel more noticeable movement during the same turbulence conditions.

Important: All commercial aircraft, regardless of size, are designed and certified to safely handle even severe turbulence. The difference is only in passenger comfort - not safety.

Technical Forecast Details Advanced Analysis

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Comprehensive Flight Profile Altitude • Wind • Turbulence
Aurora Status: Aurora forecast unavailable (Kp Index: 0)
Global Winds Forecast ECMWF Open Data Worldwide Coverage
Route-Specific Forecast: Wind data calculated at 112 waypoints along your flight path using high-resolution ECMWF global weather model (0.25° grid, ~25km resolution).
Minimum Winds
27 kt
31 mph
Average Winds
72 kt
83 mph
Maximum Winds
143 kt
164 mph
Valid: Oct 15, 21:00 UTC
Source: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Flight Planning: Headwinds increase flight time and fuel consumption. Tailwinds decrease both. Strong crosswinds may affect takeoff/landing at airports.
Wind Impact Analysis EXCELLENT
Wind Assessment: Strong tailwinds (47 kt avg) will significantly reduce flight time and improve fuel efficiency. Moderate crosswinds averaging 45 kt - normal for cruise altitude
Route Wind Breakdown
Tailwinds
66 zones (59%)
Crosswinds
45 zones (40%)
Moderate tailwinds averaging 47 kt - good conditions for this route
Flight Time Impact
47 kt
Avg Tailwind
-37 min
Time Impact
Faster than normal ✓
Wind Range:
• Max Tailwind: 74 kt
• Max Headwind: 0 kt
• Max Crosswind: 141 kt
Wind Speed Along Route ECMWF Forecast
ZeroTurb Index (ZTI) Analysis Custom Algorithm
What is ZTI? Our proprietary ZeroTurb Index combines three meteorological indicators to give you a comprehensive turbulence probability (0.0-1.0 scale). The chart below shows how each component contributes to the overall ZTI along your route:
  • Richardson Number (Ri): Atmospheric stability - lower values indicate CAT risk
  • Wind Shear Index (WSI): Rate of wind speed/direction changes
  • Temperature Gradient Index (TGI): Frontal boundary strength
  • ZTI (Composite): Proprietary composite of the three indices above
ZTI Thresholds: Smooth: 0.0-0.2 Light: 0.2-0.5 Moderate: 0.5-0.75 Severe: 0.75-1.0
Scientific GTG Analysis NOAA Standards
For Aviation Professionals: This section shows turbulence zones using conservative NOAA GTG thresholds. These scientific thresholds are more cautious than the user-friendly "Comfort View" above, which better represents typical passenger experience.

Note: Modern aircraft are designed to handle moderate turbulence effortlessly. What scientific models classify as "moderate" often goes unnoticed by passengers due to advanced flight control systems and aircraft structural design. Most commercial flights encounter some level of atmospheric turbulence that the aircraft manages automatically.
Zone Distribution (Scientific Thresholds)
9%
Smooth (<15%)
10 zones
10%
Light (15-30%)
11 zones
79%
Moderate (30-50%)
89 zones
2%
Severe (≥50% prob)
2 zones
Threshold Comparison
Category Comfort View Scientific (NOAA)
Smooth <20% probability <15% probability
Light 20-50% 15-30%
Moderate 50-75% 30-50%
Severe ≥75% ≥50%
Turbulence Probability Along Route GTG Forecast
Low (0-30%)
Light or no turbulence
Medium (30-50%)
Moderate turbulence likely
High (50-70%)
Moderate-severe expected
Extreme (70-100%)
Severe turbulence
Active Turbulence Warnings (AIRSIGMETs) Loading...
Pilot Reports (PIREPs) - 89 Reports
What are PIREPs? Pilot Reports (PIREPs) are real-time observations from pilots flying the route. They are direct, first-hand reports of actual conditions aloft.
Time (UTC) Intensity Altitude Aircraft Report
Airport Forecasts (TAF) - Next 24-30 Hours
Departure: KJFK
Valid: Oct 15 18:00 - Oct 17 00:00 UTC
18:00 - 20:00 UTC
Wind: 50° at 7 kt
Visibility: 6+ SM
Clouds: FEW 5000 ft, FEW 25000 ft
FM 20:00 - 07:00 UTC
Wind: 140° at 7 kt
Visibility: 6+ SM
Clouds: FEW 5000 ft, SCT 25000 ft
FM 07:00 - 10:00 UTC
Wind: 150° at 12 kt
Visibility: 6+ SM
Clouds: OVC 2500 ft
PROB PROB 30% 07:00 - 10:00 UTC
Visibility: 4 SM
Weather: -SHRA
Clouds: OVC 1500 ft
FM 10:00 - 14:00 UTC
Wind: 160° at 12 kt
Visibility: 2 SM
Weather: -SHRA BR
Clouds: OVC 700 ft
FM 14:00 - 16:00 UTC
Wind: 190° at 12 kt
Visibility: 2 SM
Weather: -SHRA BR
Clouds: OVC 700 ft
FM 16:00 - 19:00 UTC
Wind: 200° at 12 kt gusting to 17 kt
Visibility: 6+ SM
Clouds: BKN 1200 ft
FM 19:00 - 22:00 UTC
Wind: 210° at 12 kt gusting to 20 kt
Visibility: 6+ SM
Clouds: SCT 2000 ft, SCT 10000 ft
FM 22:00 - 00:00 UTC
Wind: 230° at 15 kt gusting to 25 kt
Visibility: 6 SM
Weather: -SHRA
Clouds: SCT 5000 ft, BKN 15000 ft
PROB PROB 30% 22:00 - 00:00 UTC
Visibility: 3 SM
Weather: TSRA
Clouds: BKN 5000 ft (CB)
Raw TAF:
TAF KJFK 151736Z 1518/1624 05007KT P6SM FEW050 FEW250 FM152000 14007KT P6SM FEW050 SCT250 FM160700 15012KT P6SM OVC025 PROB30 1607/1610 4SM -SHRA OVC015 FM161000 16012KT 2SM -SHRA BR OVC007 FM161400 19012KT 2SM -SHRA BR OVC007 FM161600 20012G17KT P6SM BKN012 FM161900 21012G20KT P6SM SCT020 SCT100 FM162200 23015G25KT 6SM -SHRA SCT050 BKN150 PROB30 1622/1624 3SM TSRA BKN050CB
Arrival: EGLL
Forecast Valid: Oct 15 18:00 - Oct 17 00:00 UTC
18:00 - 04:00 UTC
Wind: 210° at 10 kt
Visibility: 6+
Clouds: SCT at 3000 ft
TEMPO 01:00 - 10:00 UTC
Visibility: 4.97
Weather: -RA
Clouds: BKN at 1200 ft
TEMPO PROB 30% 02:00 - 08:00 UTC
Visibility: 2.49
Weather: DZ RA
Clouds: BKN at 600 ft
BECMG 04:00 - 00:00 UTC
Wind: 330° at 10 kt
Visibility: 6+
Clouds: SCT at 3000 ft
TEMPO PROB 30% 08:00 - 10:00 UTC
Clouds: BKN at 1000 ft
Raw TAF:
TAF EGLL 151659Z 1518/1624 21010KT 9999 SCT030 TEMPO 1601/1610 8000 -RA BKN012 PROB30 TEMPO 1602/1608 4000 DZRA BKN006 BECMG 1604/1607 33010KT PROB30 TEMPO 1608/1610 BKN010
About TAF: Terminal Area Forecasts (TAF) provide detailed 24-30 hour weather forecasts for airports, including wind, visibility, cloud ceiling, and weather phenomena. Updated every 6 hours by NOAA Aviation Weather Center.
Current Airport Weather (METAR)
Departure: KJFK
Temperature: 18°C (64°F) | Dewpoint: 7°C
Wind: 0° at 0 kt
Sky: FEW5000 FEW25000 (Base: 5000 ft)
Flight Category: VFR
Altimeter: 1022.40 inHg (1022 mb)
Observed: Oct 15 18:51 UTC
Raw METAR:
METAR KJFK 151851Z 00000KT 10SM FEW050 FEW250 18/07 A3019 RMK AO2 SLP222 T01830067 $
Arrival: EGLL
Temperature: 17°C (62°F) | Dewpoint: 15°C
Wind: 210° at 8 kt
Sky: SCT4200 (Base: 4200 ft)
Flight Category: VFR
Altimeter: 1019.00 inHg
Observed: Oct 15 19:20 UTC
Raw METAR:
METAR EGLL 151920Z AUTO 21008KT 190V250 9999 SCT042 17/15 Q1019
About METAR: Meteorological Aerodrome Reports (METAR) provide current weather observations from airports, including temperature, wind, visibility, clouds, and atmospheric pressure. Updated hourly by NOAA Aviation Weather Center. Flight Categories: VFR (Good), MVFR (Marginal), IFR (Instrument Flight Rules), LIFR (Low Instrument Flight Rules).
Route Segment Analysis

The route has been divided into segments of approximately 500km each for detailed analysis.

Route Map With GTG Forecast Overlay
Data Sources & Our Approach
ZeroTurb's Custom Algorithm: Unlike generic turbulence forecasts, we've developed a proprietary ZeroTurb Index (ZTI) algorithm that combines three meteorological indices weighted by their predictive accuracy. This gives you transparent, passenger-focused turbulence probability (0.0-1.0 scale) instead of vague categories. Our approach processes raw ECMWF atmospheric data through custom calculations to detect Clear-Air Turbulence (CAT), wind shear zones, and frontal boundaries that cause bumpy rides.

This forecast integrates data from:

Disclaimer: This forecast is for informational purposes only. Always consult official aviation weather sources and follow ATC guidance.

How accurate are turbulence alerts? Alerts are based on updated forecast models and pilot reports, and can change as departure approaches.

Flight Insights & Recommendations

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