Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 446; Flight Crew Type 11000
Time Pressure
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Climbing through FL380; we observed significant wing tip vortices and wake turbulence approaching our flight path. Anticipating possible aircraft upset I quickly turned off course to avoid; but did not have time to notify ATC until after initiating the turn. ATC called us to inquire about the turn as we were about to notify them. We turned back on course after avoiding the wake turbulence.Initially we believed we were going to avoid the wake turbulence; but it quickly moved towards our flight path. I should have been more conservative and requested a turn from ATC earlier to avoid even the possibility of encountering the wake turbulence.
B737-700 Captain reported a track deviation occurred when he turned to avoid visible indications of wake turbulence; which did not allow enough time to coordinate with ATC.