Coastal Fogs: Pictures, Tales?

[DewDropInn]

"Night and early-morning low clouds, with fog along the coast, from Point Dume the the Mexican border."

[MtnSurfer]

I grew up along the SoCal coast and now live in Monterey. Fog has been a familiar friend for most of my life. I recall hearing the foghorn at night while growing up. I've driven in fog so thick I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. I've surfed in the fog when I could not even see the shore. The fog provides much needed moisture for our trees and plant life along the Central and Northern Coast. As a result, we have some of the largest redwoods on earth. I love these huge trees!







Ever seen a fogbow before? I woke up to this beautiful site while camping above the clouds in Big Sur:






Derek

[Fiddlehead]

Amazing photos! Thank you MtnSurfer!

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

There's a kind of fog that happens up here in Del Norte County, that is new to me. It can be mostly clear out, and you're walking along the beach and it looks as if the wind is blowing some sand up off the beach. But, you better start heading back to your car, because within 20 minutes or so, it will become apparent that that wasn't sand blowing up off the beach, but fog coming in, and the next thing you know, you can barely see 10 feet in front of you.

This happened to me while walking my dog on the beach and it was sunny out. There was no indication that a fog bank was on it's way in. By the time I realized how thick it was going to get, we were 30 minutes from the parking lot where I'd left the car. I actually put the dog on the leash because I was afraid we'd lose each other.

I always wear a fanny pack when we go into the woods, that has an emergency blanket in it and flashlight and other emergency articles. That day at the beach I didn't wear the fanny pack, never thinking I'd need those items. After that, I always wear the fanny pack, because even on the beach here, you just never know when you'll get socked in unexpectedly in cold fog. I also added a dog sweater to the pack for my dog. She was a shivering little thing by the time we got back to the car.

I love it, though. Keeps it nice and cool. You can't take a sunny beach for granted up here, though. That day I was on the beach above, as we passed people, everyone was saying, "What happened? Where did this come from?" LOL.

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

There's a kind of fog that happens up here in Del Norte County, that is new to me. It can be mostly clear out, and you're walking along the beach and it looks as if the wind is blowing some sand up off the beach. But, you better start heading back to your car, because within 20 minutes or so, it will become apparent that that wasn't sand blowing up off the beach, but fog coming in, and the next thing you know, you can barely see 10 feet in front of you.

This happened to me while walking my dog on the beach and it was sunny out. There was no indication that a fog bank was on it's way in. By the time I realized how thick it was going to get, we were 30 minutes from the parking lot where I'd left the car. I actually put the dog on the leash because I was afraid we'd lose each other.

I always wear a fanny pack when we go into the woods, that has an emergency blanket in it and flashlight and other emergency articles. That day at the beach I didn't wear the fanny pack, never thinking I'd need those items. After that, I always wear the fanny pack, because even on the beach here, you just never know when you'll get socked in unexpectedly in cold fog. I also added a dog sweater to the pack for my dog. She was a shivering little thing by the time we got back to the car.

I love it, though. Keeps it nice and cool. You can't take a sunny beach for granted up here, though. That day I was on the beach above, as we passed people, everyone was saying, "What happened? Where did this come from?" LOL.

Great tale!

Reminds me a bit of when I lived in Oregon. There, in spring, the days can dawn crystal clear and mild. After months of gloom, I'd get so excited I would dash off on my bike without any raingear. Sure enough later that day, a drenching ice cold shower would kick up and drown me. Those spring shower seem to rain far heavier than the winter storms, which last much longer. I guess the take home is the old Boy Scout phrase, be prepared.

One of the things I tended to take for granted in California was the reliably dry weather in summer. From June to September, you have a very high likelihood of fair weather, which is not the case anywhere else I have lived. But I have drifted off the topic again...

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

Great tale!

Reminds me a bit of when I lived in Oregon. There, in spring, the days can dawn crystal clear and mild. After months of gloom, I'd get so excited I would dash off on my bike without any raingear. Sure enough later that day, a drenching ice cold shower would kick up and drown me. Those spring shower seem to rain far heavier than the winter storms, which last much longer. I guess the take home is the old Boy Scout phrase, be prepared.

One of the things I tended to take for granted in California was the reliably dry weather in summer. From June to September, you have a very high likelihood of fair weather, which is not the case anywhere else I have lived. But I have drifted off the topic again...

Yes, the north coast is like the mountains. When I lived in WA in the mountains, I quickly learned to be prepared for anything. Locals carry everything in their car trunks they might need for emergencies. I also learned there not to take a sunny morning for granted. If you think, "Yay, it's a sunny day! I'll just finish my chores and then go enjoy the day!", inevitably, by the time you finished your chores, the sun would be long gone. So, I learned that when the sun is shining - drop everything! And get outside before it's gone.

The north coast is so much more like the PNW in that regard. But, at least it doesn't snow here.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

Yes, the north coast is like the mountains. When I lived in WA in the mountains, I quickly learned to be prepared for anything. Locals carry everything in their car trunks they might need for emergencies. I also learned there not to take a sunny morning for granted. If you think, "Yay, it's a sunny day! I'll just finish my chores and then go enjoy the day!", inevitably, by the time you finished your chores, the sun would be long gone. So, I learned that when the sun is shining - drop everything! And get outside before it's gone.

The north coast is so much more like the PNW in that regard. But, at least it doesn't snow here.

It's looking pretty comfortable up there right now. I just checked the weather forecast. When its sunny and beautiful out like now, why not enjoy it?!!

Derek

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

It's looking pretty comfortable up there right now. I just checked the weather forecast. When its sunny and beautiful out like now, why not enjoy it?!!

Derek

Amen! It was really sunny today, but pretty windy. But, the wind is blowing the smoke away. Just be sure and wear a hat with a chin strap.

[jjpop]

I'm a native California north coaster, and one time when I was in college one of my buddies and I traveled to the Trinity Alps to do a short backpacking trip. He was from Sherman Oaks and was a lifelong southern Californian. When we left Redding it was 110°, and was about 90° at 8000 feet in the mountains.

We left there and continued west on Hwy 299 toward Eureka to visit my mom. In the hills above Blue Lake it was still probably in the 90s at least and very sunny. When the highway belched us out onto that coastal plain right around Blue Lake, my friend said, "What's that?" He was looking at a grayish wall ahead of us. I told him, "that's the wall of fog." Once we entered the fog between Blue Lake and Arcata the temperature dropped to about 55°.

That was life growing up in Eureka. In the summer, the fog would clear at about 2pm then roll back in at about 6pm.