Are you ready to take flight? Today in Wonderopolis, we’re headed up, up, and way high in the sky. How high? We’re traveling several miles up into the atmosphere to go sailing on a river of wind. What are we talking about? The jet stream, of course!
A jet stream is a thin current of air that’s several thousand miles wide and several thousand miles long. They’re found almost seven miles up in the atmosphere where the troposphere meets the stratosphere at a point called the tropopause. Let us explain.
The winds in a jet stream are caused by differences in temperature between two large air masses that border the tropopause. These temperature differences create differences in air pressure between the air masses.
As colder air tries to move toward the warmer air, winds form. Because of the rotation of Earth, these winds begin to move from west to east, creating a jet stream. The greater the difference in temperature, the faster the winds in a jet stream will move.
How fast do the winds in a jet stream usually move? Very fast! Most of the time, a jet stream moves along at over 100 miles per hour. At times, they reach peak speeds of over 200 miles per hour!
Jet streams were first discovered in the 1920s by a Japanese meteorologist named Wasaburo Ooishi. He used weather balloons to track upper level winds high above Mount Fuji. The term “jet stream” wasn’t used until 1939, though, when a German meteorologist first used the term in a research paper.
Research and knowledge about jet streams increased during World War II, as pilots noticed variations in winds as they flew between North America and Europe. It didn’t take pilots long to figure out that flying with the jet stream could decrease their travel time, while flying against the jet stream could be very difficult — if not impossible — to do.
Although there are jet streams in the Southern Hemisphere, the two strongest jet streams are both in the Northern Hemisphere. Jet streams affect worldwide weather patterns, because the strong winds can rapidly push weather systems from one area to another. Meteorologists track the position of jet streams to help predict the weather.
Jet streams shift throughout the year. In warmer weather, they move north. In colder weather, they move south. They tend to be strongest in winter, because the temperature difference between Arctic and tropical air masses is greatest at that time.
In addition to meteorologists, pilots and airline officials also pay close attention to jet streams. Flying with the jet stream can greatly reduce flight times, as well as fuel consumption. For planes traveling east to west, it’s also important to keep an eye on jet streams. Pilots will fly above or below a jet stream to save time and fuel.
Would you believe that there are a few people who have walked in a jet stream? It’s true! Mt. Everest is so high that its summit sits in a jet stream. Winds at the top of Mt. Everest routinely blow at over 118 miles per hour. This can make it very dangerous for those who climb all the way to the highest point on Earth!
(10 votes, avg. 3.60 out of 5) 
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Today’s wonder of the day is very cool!!!!!
when I started reading it I wasn’t sure that I would like it but when I was in the middle I loved it another time I loved it it was very cool thank you wonderopolis. What is a jet stream awesome you know before I started reading I had no idea what that meant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We’re happy to hear you enjoyed today’s Wonder, Kate! It’s great that you continued to read AND you learned all about jet streams– it’s WONDERful to learn something new! You’re even smarter than you were before! Keep up the WONDERing, Wonder Friend!!
We think tomorrow’s wonder will be about cookies, cupcakes, skittles, M&Ms, chocolate bunnies, hot chocolate, and candy.
YUM! We like your sweet guesses for tomorrow’s Wonder, Ms. Bayko’s Class! We’ve got some dessert Wonders for you in the meantime:
Wonder #379– Can You Grow Candy Corn? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/can-you-grow-candy-corn/
Wonder #451– Why Does Gum Lose Its Flavor? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-does-gum-lose-its-flavor/
Wonder #325– Is Taffy Really Made with Salt Water? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/is-taffy-really-made-with-salt-water/
Wonder #13– What Would Your Perfect Candy Bar Taste Like? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/billy-wonka/
Hello there. I am in Mrs. Hess’s class and I stayed home because someone call me about 2-hours delay and outside is freezing cold like ice cubes! Brrrrr!
Thoughts: This video is that I love time lapses!
Connections: This reminds me of when my friend, Michael, discover jet stream in the book because jet stream is cool to Michael.
Predictions: What is Good Will? Did you trade something? Who invented Good Will? Who is the first person who visited the Good Will?
Hey Kathy, happy Thursday! We hope you’re staying nice and warm at home… or perhaps you’re back in school by now! Make sure you bundle up when you head outside– BRRR! We hope to send some sunshine your way!
It’s awesome that you enjoyed today’s Wonder video so much- time lapse videos are very cool, indeed! Nice work paying attention to detail! We bet Michael would enjoy this Wonder, too! Perhaps you can share it with him?!
Thanks for sharing your comments AND your predictions for tomorrow’s Wonder! We can’t wait to see you again!
This is really cool! My teacher showed us this site and I love it.
WOOHOO, please give your awesome teacher a high five for us, Stacey! We’re thrilled that you’re here on this terrific Tuesday! Thanks for WONDERing with us… we can’t wait to see you again!
Thoughts: We knew we were going to like the video because we enjoy videos that use time lapse. (Arturo) I wonder if the jet streams can cause explosions. (Gabrielle) I liked the video because the jet stream started spread out but by the end it was all together. (Maria)
Connections: This reminds me of the Mona Lisa video because we saw the same thing for the whole video. (Cristian) This reminds me of who was the first person in space because I noticed each one had the wonder word atmosphere. (Joaquin)
Predictions: Who is Miss Alaneius? (Jake) What is miscellaneous? (Pedro) What is fudge? (Shalize) What is the Hershey’s Museum? (Jaaron)
Good afternoon, Wonder Friends in Mrs. Hess’ Class! We are always so excited to read your Wonder comments… and it’s super cool when some of you comment on your own, too! We’re glad you’re back in school today– stay warm!
We think it’s really cool that you’re thinking about the Wonder, the video, AND how it’s made! Isn’t time lapse awesome?! Thanks for telling us about what you have been WONDERing about, Arturo, Gabrielle, and Maria!
Cristian and Jaaron: how cool that you made connections to past Wonders! YOU ROCK!
We LOVE your predictions, Jake, Pedro, Shalize, and Jaaron! How very clever!
Thoughts, Connections, Questions: David- Is a tornado or a hurricane faster than a jet stream? Ashleigh- On Dora the Explorer, she asks questions just like the Wonder asks questions! Bryan- This video was a little like the monkey video to me because I didn’t think it fit with the Wonder. Aaliyah- Can a jet stream pick up people off the ground? Hayden- How fast is regular wind speed compared to a jet stream? Elijah- Could a jet stream form a tornado? Savion- Why do people think the world is a dangerous place?
Predictions: Bryan- Why do children eat so much sweets? Hayden- Should we get rid of snacks? Aaliyah- Why was candy invented? Cassie- Who invented the first piece of candy? Ashleigh- What is the largest gumball? Stevie- Do all kids like candy? Savion- Is there a missile made of candy? Sierra- How big is the world’s largest mall? Stephanie- How can sweets affect your health? Erica- How many different types of candy are there? Michael- What is the most visited store? Samantha- How much candy is made every year? David- What type of ingredients do they use to make food? Trevon- What are the ingredients to make candy?
Good afternoon, Wonder Friends in Mrs. VanDusen’s Class! We hope you’re staying warm today!
Me-oh-my, we are so excited to read your awesome comment today– so many great ideas from Ashleigh, Bryan, Aaliyah, Hayden, Elijah, Savion, Cassie, Ashleigh, Stevie, Sierra, Michael, Samantha, David, and Trevon! We hope you’ll listen to your local meteorologist when he or she talks about weather. Sometimes, when it’s very windy, they will tell you how fast the wind is blowing! We wish we could answer all your questions, but we do have some awesome Wonders to share, based on your predictions.
Wonder #303– How Much Does Penny Candy Cost? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-much-does-penny-candy-cost/
Wonder #61– Who Invented Cotton Candy? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/who-invented-cotton-candy/
We have some questions for today. What do you mean by all those different atmospheres? I think a jet stream can lift up water like a hurricane, and brings it all around the city. We read a newspaper today about weather too– about tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, arcus clouds, rain, and wind. Can you tell us anything about arcus clouds? We wonder if they are in the shape of an arc??
Hey there, Wonder Friends in Mrs. Dobson’s Class! We are thrilled to hear that you’ve been studying different types of weather in class, and clouds, too! We did some research on arcus clouds… there are two types of them: roll clouds and shelf clouds. An arcus cloud is a low, horizontal cloud– in some pictures, it looks like an arch!
Wonder #591– What is a Lenticular Cloud? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-lenticular-cloud/
Wonder #522– How Much Rain Can a Cloud Hold? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-much-rain-can-a-cloud-hold/
Thanks for sharing your awesome comment with us today! HOORAY for WONDERing!
Hi Wonderopolis,
We didn’t have time to look at today’s wonder. But, we are going to make some guesses about tomorrow’s. It’s a tough clue…but, we’re going to give it a try.
Here are our predictions:
•Willy Wonka
•Goodie bag from a birthday party
•Lost and Found
•Candy Store
•A big ginormous pixie stick
•Easter basket
By the way – congratulations on your 900th WONDER! That’s WONDERful.
HOORAY, we’re so happy the PinkPanthers are here today! Thanks for your very kind comment– we can’t believe we’ve reached 900 WONDERS! PHEW!
We love all your awesome predictions for tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day®… we think you’ve got Easter candy on the brain! Some of us do, too! We hope you’re having a totally terrific Thursday– thanks for visiting us today!
We learned about jet streams in school, and even then I learned a lot more from this wonder!
What an awesome connection to your lessons, Gavin! Thanks for visiting us to tell us about what you learned at Wonderopolis, too! How exciting!
900 wonders hooray!
We’re so glad you’re celebrating, Jusin! It’s been so much fun to Wonder with you! WOHOO for our 900th Wonder! Thanks for visiting us today!
Hello Wonderopolis! This is our first time posting our thoughts, questions,and connections. However, we hope to start posting more often!
We first want to thank you for keeping this website going! We use this everyday for our reading time and have done some great things with it as well as learned a lot thanks to you. Below are our thoughts, questions, and connections for today’s WONDER.
Thoughts:
Kamille thinks that the video was shown in fast forward to make the clouds move faster. Was this a real time video?
Questions:
Zell asked, “Can a tornado disturb or throw off a jetstream?”
Kamille asked, “Can a person see or notice a jetstream?”
Lauren asked, “How does a jetstream affect the Earth and the people on it?”
Treveon asked, “Could we use a jetstream to create power in the future?”
Connections:
Nevaeh made the connection that fog forms the same way, when cold air meets warm air.
We all made the connection between the jetsream and the Australian Current in Finding Nemo. Are these related?
Welcome to Wonderopolis, Wonder Friends in Mrs. Davis’ Class! We are so glad you’re here today– and what a cool day to start! We’ve reached our 900th Wonder today! PHEW!
Thanks for sharing your SUPER comment with us, it sounds like you’ve been WONDERing with us for quite some time! Your thoughts, questions and connections are very creative!
This Wonder video features a video that was shot in time lapse form– it makes everything move faster than it does in reality. Great question, Kamille!
We hope you’re continue to research and Wonder about all your awesome questions, Zell, Kamille, Lauren, and Treveon! Jetstreams can affect us, especially if we’re flying in an airplane or climbing at very high altitudes!
You have all been doing a great job of WONDERing today, including Nevaeh, who made another awesome connection to fog! Air pressure has quite the effect on our weather! Keep it up– we look forward to seeing you soon!
Thoughts: (Xavier) I thought it was cool that MT. Everest was so high it was in the jet stream. (Aidan) I thought it was cool how the clouds were moving so fast.
Connections: (Angel) My aunt’s cousin was at Mt. Everest two years ago. (Taylor) I have seen jet streams in the sky in the summer.
Predictions: (Chris) Who Made the Very First Candy Bar? (Kimora) How Did Halloween Begin? (Ben) Who Invented Chex Mix?
Hello to all our Wonder Friends in Mrs. Coleman’s Class! Xavier, Aiden, Angel, Taylor, Chris, Kimora and Ben: you have done an AWESOME job of sharing your thoughts, connections and predictions to today’s Wonder! NICE WORK!
Thank you for using your super imaginations today, you all did a great job of weaving in your own ideas and connections! We look forward to WONDERing with you again soon!
Wow that’s a cool wonder I hope tomorrow’s will be just as cool.
We can’t wait to find out what the next Wonder will be, Merle M! We Wonder what your favorite part of today’s Wonder is?
It was cool….. but it was not very interesting to me because I don’t really want to know what a jet stream is.
We are glad you learned something new with us today, Opinion_Girl.13! Even though today’s Wonder wasn’t one of your favorites, we are glad you visited us! Thanks for sharing your comment!
Do you know about jets?
We learned all about jet streams and temperature today, Wonder Friend Mean Kitty! We don’t have any Wonders on jets, but we’ve got some other speedy Wonders to share:
Wonder #721– What is the Fastest Train? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-the-fastest-train/
Wonder #772– How Do Helicopters Work? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-helicopters-work/
Wonder #817– How Fast Can You Zip Through the Air? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-fast-can-you-zip-through-the-air/
You guys are awsome. Do you have wonder on Friday the 13th that would be awesome if you did!
Thanks so much, Wonder Friend Chris! We’re glad you’re here today!
We’ve got a couple of Wonders that are right up your alley:
Wonder #452– What is a Hoax?
Wonder #375– Do You Think 13 is Unlucky? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-you-think-13-is-unlucky/
All it was was a bunch of clouds moving very fast.
You’re very observant, Ochean!
We Wonder if you learned anything new from today’s Wonder or Wonder video? Have you experienced a jet stream before? 
I thought it contained clouds!!!!
We’re glad you learned something new with us, Nia! Jet streams are caused by a change in air temperature. We’ve got some cloud Wonders for you, too!
Wonder #591– What’s a Lenticular Cloud? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-lenticular-cloud/
Wonder #522– How Much Rain Can a Cloud Hold? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-much-rain-can-a-cloud-hold/
It was just clouds.
I thought it was not
the best video on Wonderopolis hope everyone else liked it.
It’s just clouds in the video it’s cool I guess?
Hey there, Wonder Friends Bob, Morgan and Marissa! We are glad you’re all here today; even though today’s jet stream Wonder is not your favorite, we still appreciate your comments! It’s tough to see a jet stream, but if you were caught in one, you’d certainly feel it!
We hope you’ll come back to visit with us again! Have a great night!
Dear Wonderopolis,
We have not been to Wonderopolis in a long time. We loved the article today! We didn’t know that jet streams were air.
Your Wonder friends,
R and R
Welcome back to Wonderopolis, R and R! We are so happy you’re here!
It sounds like you learned so much from today’s Wonder– we’re smiling ear to ear! Thanks for stopping by… we look forward to WONDERing with you again!
The video was very interesting.
Thanks so much for your comment, Jazmin! We are glad you visited us today! We Wonder what your favorite part of today’s Wonder is? Did you learn anything new with us today?
Dear wonderopolis
I like the video but what I didn’t like is that all it was is clouds going across the sky.
Your wonder friend,
Malia
Hey Malia, thanks so much for your comment! We’re sorry to hear that this Wonder video wasn’t one of your favorites. Jet streams are really cool to Wonder about… but they’re kind of difficult to see! We’ve got lots of Wonders for you to enjoy… 900 of them to be exact! We Wonder what topics you enjoy?
What were the lines called?
Great question, Wonder Friend Noah!
Those lines on the map are indicators of wind and direction. They are a symbols, and are sometimes called jet stream lines! We’re so glad you’re WONDERing about meteorology maps with us! 
That’s cool, I didn’t know that.
It’s super fun to learn something new with you, ACT! We Wonder if you’ll be part of a jet stream the next time you travel by air?
I am also in Mr. Davis’ class I never heard of a jet stream but thanks wonderopolis I like this website.
How cool, we’re so excited that you and your Wonder Friends in Mr. Davis’ class have been WONDERing with us, Selena! You make us smile!
Thanks for telling us how much you enjoy Wonderopolis- we’re so glad to hear it!
Cool!!
Thanks for sharing your comment, Jennifer! It sounds like you are having a great time learning something new with us! What’s your favorite part of our Wonder?
Somebody can do some serious sky-diving off of those clouds…
I wonder….
If you skydived from time lapsing jet stream clouds, can you go back in time?
WOWZA, we like your creativity, Desmond! We’re not sure, but we hope you’ll keep WONDERing about space, science and the future of technology! Great job using your imagination!