All planes are designed to fly through thunderstorms and have to comply with safety regulations. A rainstorm is unlikely to cause damage to the aircraft. The only danger of flying during bad weather is the risk of freezing rain, but in this case, your plane will most likely be delayed until the storm passes.
Flights can be delayed or cancelled due to thunderstorms. Sometimes, you may be notified by the airlines that your flight has been cancelled or delayed due to severe weather conditions, but the weather at your location is perfect because there might be storms en route or at your destination.
Well, thanks to the engineering and safety measures implemented in modern airplanes, the risk of significant damage from lightning strikes is extremely low. Pilots are well-trained to navigate through various weather conditions, including thunderstorms, ultimately ensuring your safety.
As the thunderstorm cloud moves across the ground, these gust fronts push out ahead of the cloud, giving a good indication that a thunderstorm is imminent. For pilots, this change in wind speed and direction can create wind shear, which can be a threat to aircraft.
The lightning typically exits another extremity of the aircraft, such as the tip of the tail. It will then continue to the opposite polarity in the cloud structure. If it cannot find an opposite polarity, it will hit a point on the ground instead.
Crosswinds greater than 50-60 km/h may cause airlines to delay or cancel flights. Even lower gusts can trigger flight delays or cancellations if the runways are wet or icy, as stiff winds can reduce a plane's ability to brake on the runway.
Rain is just water, no matter the pressure. Modern aircraft can generate lift regardless of the heaviness of the rain. Planes can and will take off and land in the rain. The only real problem with heavy rainfall is the decrease in visibility for the pilots.
Even taking off and landing in heavy rain, snow, and fog is possible for aircraft equipped with adequate instruments and automated control systems for the conditions. However, heavy winds and thunderstorms, which often accompany rain, can keep aircraft grounded and result in airline flight cancellations.
Turbulence, associated with thunderstorms, can be extremely hazardous, having the potential to cause overstressing of the aircraft or loss of control. Thunderstorm vertical currents may be strong enough to displace an aircraft up or down vertically as much as 2000 to 6000 feet.
What does IATA say about airport lightning rules? The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says to issue lightning alerts at 5 miles (8 km) and stop operations at 3 miles (5 km). They suggest using a 3-mile critical radius and resuming operations once the lightning activity has moved beyond this radius.
With this in mind, horizontal winds (also known as “crosswinds”) in excess of 30-35 kts (about 34-40 mph) are generally prohibitive of take-off and landing.
There is no single maximum wind limit as it depends on the direction of wind and phase of flight. A crosswind above about 40mph and tailwind above 10mph can start to cause problems and stop commercial jets taking off and landing.
"If a plane is flying along at a constant speed and height, then suddenly the headwind reduces, or it enters a descending column of air, this can cause the aircraft to suddenly descend," Gratton explained.
Severe turbulence can cause a plane to drop so suddenly that pilots temporarily lose control. But, again, that's not enough to crash the plane. That's not to say it's never happened. In 1966, human error and turbulence combined to bring a plane down over Mount Fuji.
Winter has strong winds and blizzards, and summer's hot heat can create unstable air, thunderstorms, and tropical storms. That means flying during the holidays often means more turbulence than other times of the year. So if possible, avoid flying between December and February or June and August for a smoother flight.
Modern aircraft are designed to fly through storms and other adverse weather. Strong winds will not cause aircraft to fall from the sky, and heavy rain is not going to damage the fuselage. Lightning is not a serious problem either.
If rain is too heavy, the pilot's visibility can be impaired, which can make it unsafe to take off, thereby preventing his or her aircraft from flying. In rare circumstances, heavy rain can also cause a plane's engine's to “flameout,” though pilots can usually re-ignite them.
And as it turns out, flying is actually one of the safest forms of transportation. In fact, flying is the safest way to travel long distances, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics – safer than traveling by car, motorcycle, bus, or train.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Aerophobia is an extreme fear of flying. People with aerophobia might feel intense anxiety before or during a flight. This condition can interfere with your ability to travel for work or pleasure. If aerophobia is affecting your quality of life, talk to your healthcare provider.
“I have flown IFR in moderate to heavy rain many times and not experienced problems, but—there is always one of those isn't there—most often heavy rain is associated with moderate or greater turbulence, which is a problem. But the turbulence is caused by convective activity, not precipitation.
These cloud-borne updrafts and downdrafts result in unpredictable and quick changes to the lift force on the wings of an aircraft. More or less lift and the difference between these changes is what causes the aircraft to lurch and jump about during flight, or turbulence as it is called within the industry.
Call the Airline or Check Its Website Often
When you have an upcoming flight, you can typically get information on any potential delays or cancellations by calling the airline often or checking its website.
All planes are designed to fly through thunderstorms and have to comply with safety regulations. A rainstorm is unlikely to cause damage to the aircraft. The only danger of flying during bad weather is the risk of freezing rain, but in this case, your plane will most likely be delayed until the storm passes.
Wind speed and direction – key parameters for flight safety
During take-offs and landings, wind speed higher than 30 KT (approximately 55 km/h) is considered dangerous. Most communication airports indicate this value as a criterion for issuing an airport warning, distinguishing between the mean wind speed and gusts.
Those irregular motions in the atmosphere create air currents that can cause passengers on an airplane to experience annoying bumps during a flight, or it can be severe enough to throw an airplane out of control. "(The pilots) aren't scared at all. It's all a part of aviation," United Airlines pilot Rob Biddle said.