Definition

1. Noun:
   • Strong turbulence occurring in cloudless air: A meteorological phenomenon involving violent, unpredictable air currents that can affect aircraft, even in the absence of visible clouds or storms.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The pilot warned passengers to return to their seats due to unexpected clear-air turbulence.
  • Clear-air turbulence is particularly dangerous because it is invisible to both the eye and radar.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Descriptive Use: Often discussed in aviation weather reports and safety briefings.
  • Forecasting clear-air turbulence remains a significant challenge for meteorologists.

Variants and Related Words

• CAT (abbreviation): A common acronym used in aviation and meteorology.
  • The flight experienced severe CAT over the ocean.
• Turbulence (noun): The broader category of irregular atmospheric motion, which includes clear-air turbulence as a specific type.

Synonyms

• Invisible turbulence: A descriptive synonym emphasizing its undetectable nature.
• High-altitude turbulence: A term sometimes used, though not all clear-air turbulence occurs at high altitudes.

Related Phrases and Terms

• "Encounter CAT": A phrase used in aviation to describe experiencing this phenomenon.
  • The aircraft encountered CAT, causing a brief period of severe shaking.
• "Patch of clear-air turbulence": Describes a specific area where it occurs.
  • We flew through a patch of clear-air turbulence.

Noun

1. strong turbulence in an otherwise cloudless region that subjects aircraft to violent updrafts or downdrafts