Cape Town International Airport turbulence forecast
Cape Town, South Africa
CPT (Cape Town, South Africa) sits at 33.96°S, 18.60°E, 151 ft elevation — inland.
About CPT
Major airport serving Cape Town, South Africa.
- Climate
- Subtropical inland — hot summers, seasonal rains
What to expect on departures
Computed from CPT's geography and climate
The jet stream meanders across this latitude seasonally — CPT sees its strongest CAT exposure in June–August, when the polar jet pushes equatorward and routes intersect it more often. December-onwards departures climb into cleaner upper-level flow. Warm-season convection (December–February) drives the dominant turbulence pattern from CPT — afternoon thunderstorm cells are routed around but their wake turbulence and gust fronts can still affect arrivals and departures.
Climbout notes
Climbout is usually unremarkable — most turbulence on flights from Cape Town occurs at cruise rather than immediately after takeoff.
Seasonal pattern
Southern Hemisphere winter (June–August) is when the subtropical jet strengthens, and that's when long-haul CAT is most likely. Southern summer (December–February) is the main convective window.
- Peak turbulence
- June–August (Southern Hemisphere winter jet)
- Typically calmest
- November–February
Departing from CPT?
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CPT turbulence FAQ
Is turbulence common on flights from CPT?
Cape Town International Airport is best described as a standard profile airport. The jet stream meanders across this latitude seasonally — CPT sees its strongest CAT exposure in June–August, when the polar jet pushes equatorward and routes intersect it more often.
When is turbulence worst for Cape Town flights?
Southern Hemisphere winter (June–August) is when the subtropical jet strengthens, and that's when long-haul CAT is most likely. Peak turbulence window: June–August (Southern Hemisphere winter jet). Typically calmest: November–February.
How accurate are Turbcast forecasts?
We combine live NOAA Aviation Weather Center data (PIREPs, SIGMETs, AIRMETs) with physics-based Ellrod and Richardson-number calculations derived from Open-Meteo pressure-level wind and temperature data. If a source is unavailable for a waypoint we show an em dash rather than invent a number.
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