By the time you read this, winter will have set in and, if you live just about anywhere in North America, the short days, biting cold and gusty winds may have you yearning for the lazy, hazy of summer. But with those hazy days come thunderstorms and a much different weather calculus than you have to deal with in the winter.

No matter which time of year we find the most challenging to fly, turbulence is always a factor, whether for operational reasons or simple comfort. Many kinds of turbulence are predictable: Just try the leeward side of the Appalachians after a cold front has moved through. Other kinds—like clear air…