Turbulence forecasts for travelers
Route-by-route turbulence outlooks built on the “Euro” model, the gold standard in global weather forecasting, with expert analysis from a Ph.D. aviation meteorologist.
Free during the beta. No account needed.
Powered by the Euro model
Start with the free automated outlook. If you are a nervous flyer, travelling with someone who is, or flying a long or important trip, get a report written by an aviation meteorologist.
Automated outlook
Free during the beta
Expert route report
Free limited test reports during the beta
Many turbulence sites repackage the same U.S. forecast grids. This one starts from the Euro model and is built and checked by an aviation meteorologist.
Model
The “Euro” (ECMWF) model leads the world’s forecast centers for upper-air accuracy, the winds and temperatures at cruising altitude where turbulence forms. The outlook runs GTG-style turbulence diagnostics on it, then blends in NOAA’s own turbulence guidance over the U.S.
Expertise
Expert reports are written by Dr. Robert Banks, who led weather projects for Delta Air Lines and served as a senior advisor to IATA on advanced turbulence forecast products.
Accountability
Forecasts are checked against pilot turbulence reports after the flight, and the results, misses included, are published.
Launching in 2027
The beta is free while we test. Leave your email to hear when expert reports and flight watch alerts open, plus early-access pricing. No spam, and you can leave any time.
Ratings use eddy dissipation rate (EDR), the international standard for measuring how rough the air is. It's the same measure airliners report automatically.
Little or no motion expected.
Slight, occasional bumps possible. The seat belt sign may come on.
Noticeable bumps likely. Expect the seat belt sign to be on and service to pause.
Strong, abrupt jolts possible. Rare, and pilots work to avoid these areas.
Who’s behind Smoothyr
Robert is a Ph.D. aviation meteorologist with more than 20 years in weather. He began his career with NOAA and most recently led weather projects for Delta Air Lines and served as a senior advisor to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on advanced turbulence forecast products.
He started Smoothyr because travelers deserve clear, honest turbulence information before they fly, explained in plain language.
Airliners are built to handle far more turbulence than they meet in normal service, and serious injuries are rare. Most turbulence injuries happen to people who are standing or not wearing a seat belt, which is why it is best to keep your seat belt fastened whenever you are seated and to follow the seat belt sign and crew instructions.
Jet-stream turbulence can be forecast usefully two to five days ahead, but the details sharpen in the last 24 hours. Storm-related bumps are harder to pin down more than a day out. Every outlook shows a confidence level based on how far away your flight is.
The outlook uses the great-circle route between airports. Real routes follow airways and are often moved to use or avoid the jet stream. Expert reports use the filed or typical route for your flight number when it is available.
The “Euro” is the global forecast model run by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). It is the model forecasters often trust most, and ECMWF’s 2026 verification report shows it continues to lead other global centers for upper-air forecasts, the levels where airliners cruise. Most consumer turbulence tools rely only on U.S. NOAA guidance. Smoothyr starts from the Euro, blends in NOAA’s turbulence guidance over the U.S., and expert reports compare several models.
