the.com/jetstream
a sky-high river of wind that shoves planes home faster than physics should allow
means A fast, narrow band of strong winds flowing high in the atmosphere, generally west to east, that aircraft ride to gain speed.
from A 20th-century compound of 'jet' and 'stream.' 'Jet' traces back through French 'jeter,' to throw, from Latin 'iactare,' to hurl — the same root behind a jet of water or a jet engine. 'Stream' is old Germanic stock, related to the same family that gives English 'stream' and German 'Strom' for a flowing current. The term gained currency in the mid-20th century as high-altitude aviation and meteorology matured: pilots and forecasters needed a name for the river of fast air discovered flowing through the upper atmosphere, and a 'stream' of 'jetting' wind fit.
- top speed
- can exceed 250 mph at altitude
- discovery
- WWII bombers found it the hard way
- flight hack
- eastbound flights ride it, shave hours
- weather boss
- steers storms across whole continents
- altitude
- lurks 6 to 9 miles up
polar jet stream — arctic air mass boundary moving 200+ mph, drives weather systems across northern hemisphere
gulf stream — warm ocean current off florida coast, 3°f warmer than surrounding water, keeps britain temperate
agulhas current — indian ocean current off south africa, 5.4 mph flow, retroflection causes massive eddies