Sea Fog/Mist

[Lyric]

As I look down and out to sea from my perch at about 500m I note that the coast and indeed the sea as far as I can see has been coated in mist or fog all day.
My question for the Amateur Meterologists that lurk within is what causes it ? my view is that it is to do with sea Vs air temp but not sure as I think air temp today is similar to yesterday, which was crystal clear.

[curatokid]

I think it sounds like you need to put a bit more water in your tipple whatever it is !!

[Lyric]

Sin Gas con Agua ?

[Mowser]

Cataracts? Glaucoma?

[knowal]

ALL clouds, mist and fog are caused when the temperature falls below the dewpoint for the air mass in question.
Dewpoint is the temperature at which a mass of air has to be cooled at which it cannot hold the water vapour within it. It is a function of temperature and humidity.
Warm air can hold much greater quantities of water as vapour, than cold air.

Air over the sea usually has a very high humidity as it is evaporating constantly into the air.
I reckon that the humidity in your area today must be very high.
It is 100% within the mist, of course.

[IreneD]

We drove down to Nerja today and were mystified. (Ha!) by the low lying cloud over the beach and sea - I've never seen anything like it at that level although our mountain is often in the clouds. If it's the same tomorrow, could some kind person with a view of Nerja let me know? It was OK - not cold - but we don't really want another day lying on the beach in the 'fog' lol!

[El Cid]

It is unusual. Usually mist forms when warm, moist air meets cold sea.

The sea temperature is about 22c at the moment on this side of the Med which is pretty much as high as it gets. So unless the air over the sea was very warm and moist it is difficult to see why fog should form.

We are about 220m above sea level looking out over the bay at La Herradura. The fog eventually came up to our level but overall the humidity was much lower than normal - only 43% average.

The only thing that I can think that caused it was air coming from North Africa over the sea at a higher temperature than the sea on this side of the Med. However the air temperature today was only 28.7c which is not that much higher than the sea temperature and the humidity was low.

A mystery!!

Sid

[Campo Steve]

I didn't see it yesterday although it has happened before. Last time I saw it here it reminded me of the haar that is common on the east coast of Scotland. Here's the Met Office description of a haar. Maybe it was the same thing

On the east coast of Scotland a sea fog, known locally as Haar, often plagues the local residents and ruins what would otherwise be a fine day. It most commonly occurs between April and September, on or near the east coast or in the Northern Isles.

It does not usually penetrate far inland, but can filter through valleys like the Great Glen and the Central Lowlands as far as Glasgow. Haar forms when a parcel of warm air passes over the cold North Sea. The warm air at the bottom of the parcel is cooled by the cold air below, until it can no longer 'hold' the moisture that was previously contained within. Therefore, it releases some of the moisture in the form of liquid water through condensation. Add an onshore component like a wind of 5-20mph, and the cooling in the bottom of the warm parcel of air is spread upwards and generates a fog like Haar.

[ajtg1952]

Often when you view the sea from a higher altitude, and from a distance, it looks hazy; particularly on a hot day. This is not fog or mist, but more commonly simple ozone.

[El Cid]

Ozone? I hope not as it is highly toxic!

Sid

[IreneD]

It really did look like clouds from a distance. At one point, approaching Nerja, we were fairly high up and it was like the view from a plane when you are looking down on clouds. It was fascinating, really - everywhere else was bright blue skies.

What's it like today? Can anybody see? Blue skies up here in the mountains, just a few wispy clouds.

[ajtg1952]

Ozone? I hope not as it is highly toxic!

Sid

Yes it is highly toxic, but the haze is still ozone pollution; but in low concentrations.

[Mowser]

I drove into Velez early this morning and the "mist" was hovering a few metres above Torre & Velez.
By the time we left around 111:00am, it had gone. Brigadoon?

[El Cid]

It isn't just during the day it happens.

Sid

[teralin]

We looked down on this very low lying mist over the sea yesterday evening and we watched a cruise ship sailing through it. It was very odd, we could only see the top 20% of the ship and it looked as though it was sailing through clouds.

[knowal]

By the time we left around 111:00am, it had gone.

I think you may need a new watch, Mowser.

[Lyric]

Noticed it around Torre this morning, but it soon dissipated. Saw the cruise liner last night too but the photograph didn't convey the right effect, darn.
It's fairly clear now but not excellent, can't discern the horizon, and a bit murky in Malaga bay.

[Mowser]

White Horse

It's one of these watches geared up for 21/12/2012.

[IreneD]

Thanks Mowser and Lyric. Didn't go anywhere in the end - had a family row

[Mowser]

Thanks Mowser and Lyric. Didn't go anywhere in the end - had a family row

I wasn't aware you had a boat!