What layer do planes fly in to avoid bad weather?

Commercial jet aircraft fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid turbulence and increased atmospheric drag, which are common in the troposphere below. Air is roughly a thousand times thinner at the top of the stratosphere than it is at sea level. The stratosphere is very dry air, containing little water vapor.



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Rain is just water, no matter the pressure. Modern aircraft can generate lift regardless of the heaviness of the rain. Planes can and will take off and land in the rain. The only real problem with heavy rainfall is the decrease in visibility for the pilots.

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Luckily, modern airplanes are not only designed to withstand frigid temperatures and heavy snowfall but are designed to function well in those conditions. Therefore, when it comes to ice or snow, the primary concern is the runway's condition and ensuring no ice is present on the aircraft before departure.

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While high winds (a crosswind above 40 mph and a tailwind above 10 mph) can occasionally prevent planes from taking off or landing on time, winds won't put your flight in any danger.

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At an altitude of 30,000 feet, winds can be very fast, particularly in jet streams but if the flow continues in the same direction at a similar speed the flight should be smooth. “Aeroplanes use these areas of smooth winds to carry them along, similar to a ship being carried by the current in a river.”

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All planes are designed to fly through thunderstorms and have to comply with safety regulations. A rainstorm is unlikely to cause damage to the aircraft. The only danger of flying during bad weather is the risk of freezing rain, but in this case, your plane will most likely be delayed until the storm passes.

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Jet aircraft can safely fly over thunderstorms only if their flight altitude is well above the turbulent cloud tops. The most intense and turbulent storms are often the tallest storms, so en route flights always seek to go around them.

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Hurricane hunting became safer with the introduction of sturdier 4-engine planes, but flying through the eyewall of any hurricane remains a dangerous occupation--one that has claimed six hurricane or typhoon hunter planes, with loss of 53 lives.

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