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Mountain Waves (MTW)

Wikis > Meteorology > Mountain Waves (MTW)
Mountain Waves (MTW)

Mountain waves occur when air is being blown over a mountain range. As the air hits the upwind side of the range, it starts to climb, thus creating a smooth updraft which turns into a turbulent downdraft as the air passes the crest of the ridge. From this point, for many miles downwind, there will be a series of down- and updrafts accompanied by moderate to severe turbulence.

Source: ICAO

See also:
Downdraft and Microburst (MB)
Mountain Waves (MTW)
Thunderstorms, CB / TCU
Turbulence Grade Classification
Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) Encounter
Wind Shear

Link to an explanatory article on Wikipedia here

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