Marine fog development along the west coast during 1973 using transient ship and coastal station observations.

Abstract

Using transient ship observations, a hypothetical five phase Marine Fog Development (MFD) Model was applied to four actual cases of summer marine fog during 1973 along the central California coast. The MFD Model incorporates a phase zero or synoptic phase and a proposed Coastal Convergence Zone (CCZ) concept into previous West Coast fog models. Phase zero describes the synoptic conditions that establish the marine layer over the coastal regions and explains the presence of low stratus overcast which normally exists prior to fog development cases. The CCZ concept defines a transition zone in which warm dry continental air converges with cool moist marine air and denotes the seaward extent of coastal influence. The location of the transitory CCZ is dependent upon the strength of offshore flow of continental air from the coastal region. The location where this flow meets the prevailing northwesterlies becomes the most likely site of marine fog formation. Selected synoptic scale meteorological parameters were examined and incorporated with transient ship and coastal station observations. This appeared to be an effective technique for tracking the CCZ and identifying fog phase development.