Last Updated: March 3, 2023
Can A Plane Take Off in Snow? (Complete Guide)
Curious about the impacts of snow and winter weather and commercial and small aircraft? Then you’ve come to the right place because this detailed guide covers everything you need to know about how snow impacts airplanes.
Can planes take off and land in snowy weather, how much snow it takes to cancel a flight, and the main risks associated with snowfall are some of the things covered in this guide. Read on to learn more about the impacts of winter weather on air traffic, and whether you have anything to worry about when flying in the winter!
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Can A Plane Take Off in Snow?
Yes, a plane can usually take off in snowy winter weather. Snow itself isn’t really an issue – it’s decreased visibility during heavy snowfall and icy runways that will impact whether an aircraft is able to safely complete the takeoff roll.
If the runway isn’t icy, an airplane can take off perfectly safely even in heavy snow conditions. Landing the plane in these conditions is an entirely different story, and sometimes your flight can be delayed because of the weather conditions at the destination airport.
It’s worth noting that weather conditions are rarely so extreme to prevent takeoff. However, when it comes to that, there’s very little the pilots and air traffic control can do, other than wait for conditions to improve to ensure everyone’s safety.
While some planes are capable of flying and landing in severe conditions thanks to automated systems that aren’t impacted by poor visibility, automatic takeoff is something commercial airplanes are still not capable of. Airbus is working on developing this system though, and they have made significant progress as shown by their early 2020 demonstrations.
Can A Plane Land in Snow?
A plane can land in the snow, and a plane can even land on a snow-covered runway, as long there’s no ice on the ground. Also, it would have to be an extremely thin layer of snow (no more than 2 mm) for the airplane to land safely.
Ice on the runway is the main problem that can prevent planes from landing in bad weather. The landing gear of an airplane includes rubber wheels, which have no traction on an icy surface. This means that a plane cannot land safely on a runway covered with ice, and why some flights might get delayed in poor weather.
But snow itself, especially slushy snow that melts quickly, isn’t really an issue for landing. However, extremely heavy snowfall can decrease visibility, and it could make air traffic control redirect the plane to a different runway with better visibility. Landing on a snowy or icy runway is generally not allowed, but there are exceptions even to this rule.
The main issue with decreased visibility is that heavy snow can cause a whiteout, making it impossible for pilots to tell the ground apart from the sky. But, this isn’t an issue with aircraft that are capable of autoland – systems that allow aircraft to land automatically, with the supervision of the crew.
Light vs Heavy Snowfall
You might be surprised by this, but light vs. heavy snowfall doesn’t really make that big a difference for airplanes if it doesn’t drastically impact visibility. If the snow isn’t sticking to the ground and the visibility is still decent, the amount of snow that’s falling doesn’t actually matter.
On the other hand, very heavy snowfall can cause flights to get delayed. It often impacts airplanes that are already in the air and are attempting to land; if the snow is falling heavy and fast, it can seriously impact the visibility and make it impossible for the pilot to land the plane safely. When that happens, planes often get rerouted to other nearby airports with better weather conditions.
How De-Icing Works
De-icing can mean two things – de-icing the runway or de-icing the aircraft itself. De-icing the runway is necessary for planes to be able to land safely in cold weather, and many airports have ways of ensuring that the ice melts quickly or preventing it from forming at all.
Sometimes, ice forms on the plane itself, making the aircraft unsafe for flying. When this happens, it is necessary to de-ice the plane because the buildup of ice can impact the airflow and aerodynamics, which in turn makes an aircraft unsafe for takeoff.
Ice buildup in airplane engines can be particularly dangerous because it can cause engine failure, so staff must ensure that the plane is entirely free of ice before it can take off.
So, don’t stress if your flight is delayed in poor weather conditions. Unless it’s a blizzard outside you will take off eventually, and it’s just the airport personnel ensuring that the aircraft is perfectly safe for flying.
Effects of Snow on Small Planes
Heavy snow and even light snow can be more dangerous for small planes because they have limited ways of dealing with icy conditions. Many small planes do not have the necessary equipment to de-ice the plane to make it safe for flying, which is why they rarely fly in cold winter conditions.
One thing to note is that by small planes, I mean very small aircraft that are designed for personal use. Not smaller aircraft like the Dash 8 airliner, which services regional flights – that’s still considered a commercial aircraft, and it’s got the equipment necessary for safe flights in icy weather.
Effects of Snow on Commercial Planes
The effects of snow are rarely extreme on commercial planes. Airports have an entire set of personnel that is tasked with snow management, which includes taking care of both the runway and the aircraft on it.
That being said, there are certain events that are outside of their control, and stuff like poor visibility and extremely heavy snowfall are things that will cause delays and even cancel flights. Commercial aircraft have equipment that helps them ensure safe flying conditions in cold and snowy weather, and the planes all have equipment for de-icing.
Also, it’s important to note that snow mostly impacts the takeoff and landing stages of a flight. The cruising altitude of planes is usually above snowfall, and it has very little impact on an airplane that is already in the air. This is also true for private jets; although they are significantly smaller than commercial jets, they still fly at altitudes that are high enough to allow them to fly above snowy clouds.
Can A Snowfall Delay or Cancel A Flight?
Yes, snowfall can delay and even cancel a flight in some cases, but the circumstances need to be quite extreme. Snowfall itself isn’t the main issue, it’s how it affects runway conditions. If the snowfall is so heavy that the crew is unable to keep the runway clean long enough for the plane to land, this will most likely cause a delay or even a flight cancellation.
Ice is a much bigger issue than snow because planes can’t really land on an icy surface, at least not safely. Extremely low temperatures are also considered dangerous flying conditions, especially if there is a risk of airplane components icing during the flight.
Poor visibility due to heavy snowfall can also delay and even cancel flights.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much snow will cause a flight to be canceled?
There’s no set amount of snow that needs to fall in order for a flight to get canceled – the conditions need to be extreme. Think of a blizzard in which the snow is falling so quickly and in huge amounts that the crew cannot clear the runway to make it safe for landing, or that it’s severely impacting visibility.
Can planes fly in negative temperatures?
Aircraft are designed to be able to operate in extreme weather conditions and they can absolutely fly in negative temperatures. In fact, airplanes are usually more efficient in very cold weather because the denser air allows for faster takeoff and just overall better performance of the aircraft.
It’s the extremely high temperatures that can cause your flight to be canceled entirely. It depends on the type of aircraft, but most commercial jets cannot fly in temperatures that exceed 118-126 degrees Fahrenheit.
Does snow cause turbulence?
Not really because there’s no correlation between flying in snowy weather and increased turbulence. Keep in mind that turbulence is caused by strong air currents – these are as often in the winter as they are in the summer.
Wind and changes in air currents are the main factors that cause turbulence – they can be accompanied by snow, rain, and thunderstorms, but there are zero factors that indicate that turbulence is more common in winter weather.
What do airports do with snow?
Many airports will prepare the run way in expectation of snowfall. Some airports use liquid deicing solutions such as biodegradable potassium acetate, which prevents snow and ice from sticking to the runway. Others will use solid deicers such as sand, and it’s not uncommon for airports to use a combination of both methods to keep their runways ice-free.
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
