![\"JetBlue](\"https:\/\/cimss.ssec.wisc.edu\/satellite-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/08\/160811_JetBlue_429_path_FlightAware.png\")
<\/a>JetBlue Flight 429 flight path [click to enlarge]<\/p><\/div>JetBlue Flight 429 encountered severe turbulence<\/strong><\/a> over south-central South Dakota around 0115 UTC on 12 August (7:15 pm local time on 11 August) 2016, which caused injuries to 22 passengers and 2 crew members (media story<\/strong><\/a>). The aircraft (flying from Boston MA to Sacramento CA) had to be diverted to Rapid City SD, as seen on the flight path map above (source: FlightAware.com<\/strong><\/a>).<\/p>\n GOES-13 Visible (0.63 \u00b5m) images, with pilot reports of turbulence [click to play animation]<\/p><\/div>1-km resolution GOES-13 Visible (0.63 \u00b5m) images (above)<\/strong><\/em> showed widespread thunderstorms across the region, with rapidly-developing new cells forming in the vicinity of the turbulence encounter. A Turbulence AIRMET<\/strong><\/a> had been issued around 23 UTC for that portion of the flight path, and Convective SIGMETs<\/strong><\/a> also advised of the potential for severe thunderstorms with tops above 45,000 feet (JetBlue 429 was cruising at an altitude of 32,000 feet<\/strong><\/a>).<\/p>\n The corresponding 4-km resolution GOES-13 Infrared Window (10.7 \u00b5m) images (below)<\/strong><\/em> indicated that cloud-top IR brightness temperatures were as cold as -54\u00ba C (orange color enhancement)<\/em> just east of the pilot report at 0100 UTC.<\/p>\n<\/a>