Here Comes The Fog Again

After an unusually cold and dry winter so far across the Gulf South, the pattern has taken a more typical turn.  High pressure is building back in, winds out of the southeast are setting up, and warmer temperatures are ushering back in, but also so is dense overnight fog.  As the pattern stagnates over the next several days, reduced morning visibilities can be expected across portions  of the Gulf states.  In fact Dense Fog Advisories have been issued for the coast of Southeast Louisiana for visibilities below 1/4 mile at times.  Cities that can expect slow morning commutes are places like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Biloxi.

Dense Fog Advisory February 15, 2011, Image: NOAA

What’s the deal with this Gulf Coast fog during the Fall, Winter, and Spring?  Well, its something called sea fog and it doesn’t just happen in Louisiana and Mississippi.  In fact, it also occurs in other places in the United States, like San Francisco, and even in other places around the world, like Hong Kong!

Sea Fog Formation, Image: Hong Kong Observatory

Take a look at the image above.  This is what causes sea fog to form.  Winds from a warm and humid source region blow over an area of colder water.  This helps to condense the moisture out of the warm, moist winds as they pass.  This process forms a low cloud.  Those same winds then push the newly-formed cloud over a nearby landmass and voila: fog.

In the case of the Gulf South, these winds are southeasterly and pick up warmth and moisture from the Central Gulf of Mexico, where the deep waters still have temperatures well into the 70s.  These rather tropical winds then run northwestward over shallower near-shore waters, that are much more subject to cooling by the cold wintertime land temperatures.  These coastal waters have temperatures only in the 50s.  This helps condense the moisture out of the warm, relatively muggy southeasterly winds.  Hence, a bank of low clouds forms.  The southeasterly winds then push that batch of clouds onshore and there you have it: sea fog and rough morning commutes across the Central Gulf states this week.

Invest 98L Looks To Be Named Grace

More than 90,000 fan will pack Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge today for the second LSU home game. Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi have had heavy downpours off and on all week. Currently, Birmingham Alabama has flash flood warnings. Watch Birmingham’s forecast to find out about the heavy rains, and Baton Rouge’s forecast to find out about tailgating at Louisiana State Unversity.

Invest 98L looks like it will develop into Tropical Storm Grace this weekend. Click below to read more!