In this study, a novel climatological analysis of the linkage between clear air turbulence and synoptic weather features is presented based on a combination of aircraft measurements and feature detection in reanalysis data. Detailed hypotheses are put forward on the physical processes leading to the generation of turbulence in the vicinity of Rossby wave breaking and warm conveyor belts. The results can be useful for aviation safety and turbulence forecasting in operational settings, but also for future research into the fundamental mechanisms behind clear air turbulence and its spatio-temporal variability.