What aeroplanes are used to check the weather?

Question

I often see these aeroplanes really high up in the air, emitting smoke as they fly along. These are weather planes? If so, what aeroplanes are they? And how do they manage to get so high up?

Answer 1

weather balloons

Answer 2

P-3 Orions mainly.

this isn't smoke, its just contrails formed from moisture in the air so its completely harmless. A reason I think why aviation causes something like 2% of the global CO2 emissions -

which is nothin at all compared to wat cars emit

Answer 3

What you are seeing is the contrails of high flying jets, mostly airliners. Very common sight.

The only aircraft used exclusively to check weather that I know of are the C-130 and P-3 Hurricane Hunters. In general, weather satellites provide the pictures and data that weather forecasters use. Many airliners do report weather conditions (wind, turbulence, temp.) along their route to their company for use by their dispatchers in planning other flights.

Answer 4

Those are normal passenger jets' contrails. The high altitude causes this to happen... It's little particles of condensation emitted from the exhaust of jet turbines that flash-freeze in the sub-zero temperatures aloft. (similar to frozen fog)

As the one above states, C130s and P3s are used to fly into weather or study it.

But your weather forecasters get their info from satellites and 3D computer models.