# Pacific jet over 200 mph pushed a 747 to 726 mph on Nov. 9

Published November 12, 2026, 11:17 AM ET  
By Ryan Hall, Y'all  
Written by our automated news desk from National Weather Service data.

On Nov. 9, the Pacific jet stream, about six miles up, was blowing at more than 200 mph, per Ryan. That pushed an Atlas Air 747 cargo jet from Shanghai to Alaska to 726 mph over the ground, while a FedEx plane headed back to Asia crawled along at about 360 mph. A moderate atmospheric river is lining up rain for Washington on Saturday, Nov. 14, while the active Pacific jet will bring mountain snow across the West from Sunday into Wednesday.

## Key points

- Ryan points out that the fastest winds in the jet were over 200 mph that morning, with a forecast near 250 mph the next day. He notes that is "faster than the winds of a Category 5 hurricane."
- He shows real flight data from that morning. The 747 hit 726 mph over the ground, while a FedEx plane headed the other way, back to Asia, was "crawling along at just 360."
- Ryan explains that the 747 was not breaking the sound barrier. Through the air it was going about 560 mph, the way it normally flies, and the moving air added about 165 mph.

![A frame from Ryan Hall's stream: A Pacific jet stream over 200 mph pushed a 747 cargo jet to 726 mph over the ground](https://public.yallsoft.app/rhy/blog/images/2026-11-12-news-clip-10999321-1-1604.png)

Ryan pointed out that the Pacific jet stream, about six miles up, was blowing at more than 200 mph on Nov. 9. That pushed an Atlas Air 747 cargo jet flying from Shanghai to Alaska to 726 mph over the ground. A moderate atmospheric river is lining up rain for Washington on Saturday, Nov. 14, while the active Pacific jet will bring rounds of mountain snow across the West from Sunday into Wednesday.

## What Ryan covered

- Ryan points out that the fastest winds in the jet were over 200 mph that morning, with a forecast near 250 mph the next day. He notes that is "faster than the winds of a Category 5 hurricane."
- He shows real flight data from that morning. The 747 hit 726 mph over the ground, while a FedEx plane headed the other way, back to Asia, was "crawling along at just 360."
- Ryan explains that the 747 was not breaking the sound barrier. Through the air it was going about 560 mph, the way it normally flies, and the moving air added about 165 mph.

The jet doesn't make a plane faster through the air. It moves the air the plane is sitting in. That is why the 747 reached 726 mph over the ground while moving through the air at about 560 mph.

## What Pacific systems are doing to the West this week

Our [winter storm outlook](/winter) says an active Pacific jet will steer multiple rounds of precipitation into the West from Sunday into Wednesday.

- **Saturday, Nov. 14:** A moderate atmospheric river sends another wave of rain into the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Rain totals of 1 to 3 inches, locally higher, are expected, mostly in about a 12-hour window. The [flash flood outlook](/excessive-rainfall) has a Level 1 of 4 (Marginal) risk there, and the Skokomish River is already running high.
- **Sunday into Monday:** A strong Pacific front brings moderate snow to the Cascades, the northern Sierra Nevada, and the northern Rockies of Idaho and western Montana. Travel over high passes will likely be hazardous.
- **Tuesday into Wednesday:** Snow spreads into the Wasatch, the Uintas, and the ranges of Wyoming and Colorado.

Confidence is high that the moisture arrives. The exact timing of each wave is still shifting a little from run to run. If you drive mountain passes this weekend or early next week, check the [snow forecasts](/snow) before you go.

The flight data Ryan showed is in the clip above.

## The numbers

### One 747, one jet stream: the speeds Ryan showed

|  | Value | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 747 cargo jet, Shanghai to Alaska, over the ground | 726 mph | Flight data from Nov. 9 |
| 747 through the air | 560 mph | How it normally flies |
| Push from the jet stream | 165 mph | Added to its airspeed |
| FedEx plane headed back to Asia | 360 mph | Flying against the jet |

Source: Flight data shown in Ryan's video, Nov. 9

Explained: [What an atmospheric river is, and what the Pineapple Express means](https://ryanhallyall.com/news/what-an-atmospheric-river-is)

More on: [Alaska flooding, November 2026](https://ryanhallyall.com/news/topic/alaska-flooding-november-2026)

## Sources

- [From Ryan's stream: A Pacific jet stream over 200 mph pushed a 747 cargo jet to 726 mph over the ground](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5jnz4mVc0A), Ryan Hall, Y'all, issued November 12, 2026, 11:04 AM ET

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Canonical: https://ryanhallyall.com/news/pacific-jet-over-200-mph-pushed-a-747-to-726-mph-on-nov-9
From Ryan Hall, Y'all (https://ryanhallyall.com). Always follow official warnings from the National Weather Service.