Book 23, Question 117
Why Does a Flight From Toronto to London Take Less Time than the Trip Back?
Winds high above Earth are super fast. Going east can feel like a push. Coming west pushes against you! The jet stream usually blows from west to east.
More fun facts
- High above the ground blow fast rivers of air called jet streams.
- The main jet streams flow toward the east, about 8 to 15 kilometers (5 to 9 miles) up.
- They usually blow 129 to 225 kilometers per hour (80 to 140 miles per hour).
- Sometimes they reach more than 443 kilometers per hour (275 miles per hour).
- A plane flying east from Toronto to London can ride this wind like a tailwind.
- Flying back west means pushing against it, and jet streams are so strong that planes have a hard time flying into them.
Sources: National Geographic Education
Questions kids ask
Do any jet streams blow west?
Yes. In the Northern Hemisphere's summer, a reverse jet stream blows west high above the tropics.