Prof Paul Williams
@profpaul.bsky.social
Professor of Atmospheric Science at University of Reading. Studies turbulence, jet streams, aviation, climate change.
https://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~williams/
https://www.met.reading.ac.uk/~williams/
Exciting visit to Lazarski University in Warsaw this week, to discuss how climate change is affecting aviation.
November 12, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Exciting visit to Lazarski University in Warsaw this week, to discuss how climate change is affecting aviation.
I am excited to be in Warsaw this week to speak at the 13th European Aviation Conference. Exciting discussions about the future of aviation!
November 11, 2025 at 9:32 PM
I am excited to be in Warsaw this week to speak at the 13th European Aviation Conference. Exciting discussions about the future of aviation!
Our new study finds that the upper atmosphere is becoming more sheared and less stratified because of climate change. Both these changes are making the air less stable and more conducive to turbulence.
Published in the November issue of Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.
doi.org/10.1175/JAS-...
Published in the November issue of Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.
doi.org/10.1175/JAS-...
October 14, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Our new study finds that the upper atmosphere is becoming more sheared and less stratified because of climate change. Both these changes are making the air less stable and more conducive to turbulence.
Published in the November issue of Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.
doi.org/10.1175/JAS-...
Published in the November issue of Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences.
doi.org/10.1175/JAS-...
I am pleased to share that I have started a new role as Head of Department today.
I joined the University of Reading's renowned Department of Meteorology 22 years ago, and I am looking forward to taking over the reins for a while.
I joined the University of Reading's renowned Department of Meteorology 22 years ago, and I am looking forward to taking over the reins for a while.
September 1, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I am pleased to share that I have started a new role as Head of Department today.
I joined the University of Reading's renowned Department of Meteorology 22 years ago, and I am looking forward to taking over the reins for a while.
I joined the University of Reading's renowned Department of Meteorology 22 years ago, and I am looking forward to taking over the reins for a while.
I love meeting face-to-face at in-person conferences. There's something magical about being physically present in the same place as like-minded people. Virtual meetings have their place, and favour a hybrid-first approach to maximise accessibility, but I will always choose to travel if I can.
August 19, 2025 at 7:18 PM
I love meeting face-to-face at in-person conferences. There's something magical about being physically present in the same place as like-minded people. Virtual meetings have their place, and favour a hybrid-first approach to maximise accessibility, but I will always choose to travel if I can.
Taking my son to Brazil for a much-needed holiday!
August 5, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Taking my son to Brazil for a much-needed holiday!
Guess what was the top most-read article on the BBC News website today?
And also the most engaged with, achieving well over 1,000 comments so far!
I am happy to be quoted in it, explaining why servere turbulence is becoming more frequent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
And also the most engaged with, achieving well over 1,000 comments so far!
I am happy to be quoted in it, explaining why servere turbulence is becoming more frequent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
July 30, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Guess what was the top most-read article on the BBC News website today?
And also the most engaged with, achieving well over 1,000 comments so far!
I am happy to be quoted in it, explaining why servere turbulence is becoming more frequent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
And also the most engaged with, achieving well over 1,000 comments so far!
I am happy to be quoted in it, explaining why servere turbulence is becoming more frequent.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Congratulations to my PhD student Isabel Smith, who officially became Dr Smith today!
July 22, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Congratulations to my PhD student Isabel Smith, who officially became Dr Smith today!
I am very lucky to lead a fantastic research group in aviation turbulence at the University of Reading, pictured here having lunch today with a visitor. Thank you all for your contributions to our group's success.
July 17, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I am very lucky to lead a fantastic research group in aviation turbulence at the University of Reading, pictured here having lunch today with a visitor. Thank you all for your contributions to our group's success.
How is climate change affecting aviation? And how can the sector adapt? We had a stimulating Q&A session on these topics at an Airbus conference in Toulouse recently.
July 16, 2025 at 7:01 PM
How is climate change affecting aviation? And how can the sector adapt? We had a stimulating Q&A session on these topics at an Airbus conference in Toulouse recently.
Did you know that turbulence is the leading cause of weather-related commercial aircraft accidents? It accounts for 71% of them, according to a study we published in 2019, as I discussed at this recent presentation for Airbus in Toulouse.
July 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Did you know that turbulence is the leading cause of weather-related commercial aircraft accidents? It accounts for 71% of them, according to a study we published in 2019, as I discussed at this recent presentation for Airbus in Toulouse.
Is the jet stream speeding up because of climate change, helping eastbound flights reach record-breaking ground speeds? I discussed the evidence in this recent presentation at the Airbus Leadership University in Toulouse.
July 8, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Is the jet stream speeding up because of climate change, helping eastbound flights reach record-breaking ground speeds? I discussed the evidence in this recent presentation at the Airbus Leadership University in Toulouse.
It was a pleasure to share the stage with Camille Sagues and Veronique Roca at this recent Airbus event, discussing the crucial topic of adaptation of the aviation sector to climate change.
July 7, 2025 at 4:57 PM
It was a pleasure to share the stage with Camille Sagues and Veronique Roca at this recent Airbus event, discussing the crucial topic of adaptation of the aviation sector to climate change.
I have been in Peru this week, to speak at an ICAO workshop on severe meteorological phenomena and aviation. It is great to see that the international aviation community is taking seriously the increasing risks of severe weather associated with climate change.
June 26, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I have been in Peru this week, to speak at an ICAO workshop on severe meteorological phenomena and aviation. It is great to see that the international aviation community is taking seriously the increasing risks of severe weather associated with climate change.
I had the pleasure of speaking at a conference in Rimini this week about how aviation will need to adapt to climate change, covering the latest science on topics such as airport flooding, degraded take-off performance, more lightning, modified hail patterns, and stronger turbulence.
June 19, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I had the pleasure of speaking at a conference in Rimini this week about how aviation will need to adapt to climate change, covering the latest science on topics such as airport flooding, degraded take-off performance, more lightning, modified hail patterns, and stronger turbulence.
We had a great aviation session at the European Climate Change Adaptation conference in Rimini this week.
Thanks to fellow panellists Ian Elston, Davide Bassano, Marc Wetterwald, Robert Brons and moderator Rachel Burbidge for the stimulating discussions.
Thanks to fellow panellists Ian Elston, Davide Bassano, Marc Wetterwald, Robert Brons and moderator Rachel Burbidge for the stimulating discussions.
June 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
We had a great aviation session at the European Climate Change Adaptation conference in Rimini this week.
Thanks to fellow panellists Ian Elston, Davide Bassano, Marc Wetterwald, Robert Brons and moderator Rachel Burbidge for the stimulating discussions.
Thanks to fellow panellists Ian Elston, Davide Bassano, Marc Wetterwald, Robert Brons and moderator Rachel Burbidge for the stimulating discussions.
I am honoured to learn that our recent study on turbulence increases has been recognised by the publisher as one of the most-viewed articles in Geophysical Research Letters!
June 12, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I am honoured to learn that our recent study on turbulence increases has been recognised by the publisher as one of the most-viewed articles in Geophysical Research Letters!
Happy memories of speaking about trends in weather-related aviation risks at the International Union of Aerospace Insurers (IUAI) conference in Prague last week.
June 10, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Happy memories of speaking about trends in weather-related aviation risks at the International Union of Aerospace Insurers (IUAI) conference in Prague last week.
I am back home after spending a stimulating three days in Prague attending the IUAI Members Conference.
It was a pleasure to reunite with old friends and make some new ones too!
It was a pleasure to reunite with old friends and make some new ones too!
June 5, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I am back home after spending a stimulating three days in Prague attending the IUAI Members Conference.
It was a pleasure to reunite with old friends and make some new ones too!
It was a pleasure to reunite with old friends and make some new ones too!
I am happy to be in Prague today, to speak to aviation insurers about long-term trends in turbulence and other hazards related to climate change.
June 3, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I am happy to be in Prague today, to speak to aviation insurers about long-term trends in turbulence and other hazards related to climate change.
Travel writer Cathy Adams describes her fear turbulence as climate change makes it worse - in today's Sunday Times.
June 1, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Travel writer Cathy Adams describes her fear turbulence as climate change makes it worse - in today's Sunday Times.
It's always good to be in Paris, especially when presenting our research on turbulence and climate change to the Air France KLM Group executive committee.
May 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
It's always good to be in Paris, especially when presenting our research on turbulence and climate change to the Air France KLM Group executive committee.
I spent the week visiting Airbus in Toulouse, to discuss the consequences of increased turbulence from climate change. Exciting things are happening. Watch this space!
May 23, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I spent the week visiting Airbus in Toulouse, to discuss the consequences of increased turbulence from climate change. Exciting things are happening. Watch this space!
It was great to give a climate change lecture to teenagers at St Albans School today. Will this be the generation that finally solves the climate change problem? Quite possibly, if the level of engagement during the Q&A session was anything to go by.
May 16, 2025 at 5:15 PM
It was great to give a climate change lecture to teenagers at St Albans School today. Will this be the generation that finally solves the climate change problem? Quite possibly, if the level of engagement during the Q&A session was anything to go by.
No trip to Vienna is complete without a selfie in front of the Mozart monument in Burggarten!
May 1, 2025 at 6:29 PM
No trip to Vienna is complete without a selfie in front of the Mozart monument in Burggarten!