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Durban, South Africa
DUR (Durban, South Africa) sits at 29.61°S, 31.12°E, 295 ft elevation — with the Drakensberg nearby.
Major airport serving Durban, South Africa.
Computed from DUR's geography and climate
The jet stream meanders across this latitude seasonally — DUR 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. The Drakensberg sit upwind of DUR on prevailing flow days, generating mountain-wave turbulence that can extend several hundred kilometres downwind at cruise level. The lee-wave risk is highest when June–August winds at FL300 cross the Drakensberg at near-perpendicular angles. Warm-season convection (December–February) drives the dominant turbulence pattern from DUR — afternoon thunderstorm cells are routed around but their wake turbulence and gust fronts can still affect arrivals and departures.
Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) often route around terrain; on strong-wind days, low-level turbulence in the lee of the hills is common in the first few thousand feet.
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. Mountain-wave activity near the Drakensberg peaks in the cold season when upper-level winds blow hardest across the range.
Get a real-time turbulence forecast for any scheduled flight out of King Shaka International Airport, with live wind, jet-stream analysis and pilot reports.
King Shaka International Airport is best described as a mountain-wave sensitive airport. The jet stream meanders across this latitude seasonally — DUR 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. The Drakensberg sit upwind of DUR on prevailing flow days, generating mountain-wave turbulence that can extend several hundred kilometres downwind at cruise level. The lee-wave risk is highest when June–August winds at FL300 cross the Drakensberg at near-perpendicular angles. Warm-season convection (December–February) drives the dominant turbulence pattern from DUR — afternoon thunderstorm cells are routed around but their wake turbulence and gust fronts can still affect arrivals and departures.
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. Mountain-wave activity near the Drakensberg peaks in the cold season when upper-level winds blow hardest across the range. Peak turbulence window: June–August (Southern Hemisphere winter jet). Typically calmest: November–February.
Yes — the Drakensberg lie close enough to generate mountain-wave turbulence on days with strong upper-level winds. These waves can propagate hundreds of kilometres downwind, so they sometimes affect cruise even after you've left the immediate area.
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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