How climate change may have contributed to Hawaiian Airlines' dramatic turbulence

Buckle up, because flights are about to get bumpier. Climate change may be exacerbating air turbulence, like the tumultuous winds that recently buffeted a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu. The oscillation was so extreme that 36 of the 248 people aboard were injured; 11 were hospitalized. There have been several recent incidents of severe air turbulence causing injuries, including eight people hospitalized in July after an American Airlines flight from Tampa to Nashville experienced turbulence so bad that it was forced to land in Alabama. Climate change may make such events more common in the future, according to some scientists. Turbulence occurs when the air around a plane is disturbed by air currents running counter or perpendicular to the main currents. The underlying cause of such currents is essentially stronger-than-normal winds, which may stem from factors including atmospheric pressure, air around mountains, cold or warm fronts, or thunderstorms, according to the FAA. "Severe weather increases chances of turbulence, and due to climate change, these kinds of incidents will only continue to grow," Taylor Garland, a spokesperson for the Association of Flight Attendants, told CBS News after Sunday’s Hawaiian Airlines flight. Story has more.<br/>