José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport turbulence forecast
Guayaquil, Ecuador
GYE (Guayaquil, Ecuador) sits at 2.16°S, 79.88°W, 19 ft elevation — coastal with the Andes nearby.
About GYE
Major airport serving Guayaquil, Ecuador.
- Climate
- Tropical coastal — warm, humid, convective
- Nearby terrain
- Andes
- Geography
- Coastal — marine-influenced airmass
What to expect on departures
Computed from GYE's geography and climate
At tropical latitude the jet stream is rarely directly overhead, so clear-air turbulence is less of a routine concern from GYE. Convective weather closer to the surface is the dominant turbulence source instead. The Andes sit upwind of GYE 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 Andes at near-perpendicular angles. Guayaquil's tropical climate means convective build-up is a year-round concern — afternoon and early-evening departures from GYE encounter the most cell activity. Morning slots and red-eye departures are typically the smoothest of the day.
Climbout notes
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.
Seasonal pattern
Convective turbulence cycles with the local wet/dry season rather than a strict calendar month — check regional rainy-season dates for the most accurate risk window. Mountain-wave activity near the Andes peaks in the cold season when upper-level winds blow hardest across the range.
- Peak turbulence
- Regional wet season
- Typically calmest
- Regional dry season
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GYE turbulence FAQ
Is turbulence common on flights from GYE?
José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport is best described as a mountain-wave sensitive airport. At tropical latitude the jet stream is rarely directly overhead, so clear-air turbulence is less of a routine concern from GYE.
When is turbulence worst for Guayaquil flights?
Convective turbulence cycles with the local wet/dry season rather than a strict calendar month — check regional rainy-season dates for the most accurate risk window. Peak turbulence window: Regional wet season. Typically calmest: Regional dry season.
Does the terrain around Guayaquil affect turbulence?
Yes — the Andes 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.
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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