Anthropogenic climate change has increased severity of mid-latitude storms and impacted airport operations

The impact of extreme weather events, particularly those associated with tropical and extra-tropical cyclones (TC and ETC), on aviation can rise serious concerns in the context of the ongoing climate change. These events often lead to significant disruptions, including flight cancellations, delays, re-routing, and impacts on airport infrastructure resilience to adverse weather conditions. This study conducts an analysis of the influence of anthropogenic climate change on four recent major storm events that occurred over Europe, the USA, and East Asia, with an in-depth analysis on the Storm Eunice, a powerful ETC that affected the UK and Ireland. Using climate reanalysis data we assess the dynamics of these extreme storms and their implications for aviation operations, particularly during critical phases such as take-off and landing. Our research underscores the growing intensity of extreme storms, particularly stronger winds, driven by human-induced climate change, and stresses the need for taking into account growing climate hazards to optimize planes and airport operations.