Large-Scale Environmental Influences on the Onset, Maintenance, and Dissipation of Six Sea Fog Cases over the Yellow Sea

Sea fog is typically formed and developed under a set of favorable environmental conditions, which are associated with the station pressure changes, sea level pressure, winds, temperature, water vapor supply, and sea surface temperature. Understanding of these environmental factors during the evolution of a sea fog episode is crucial for forecasting the occurrence and severity of sea fogs over the ocean and adjacent coastal areas. In this study, the large-scale environment variability of six fog events over the Yellow Sea was investigated. It was realized in the present study that the northwest Pacific Ocean high (NPH) is vital to fog formation over the Yellow Sea. In our study, six fog cases can be basically divided into two types: (1) pressure-weakening type, (2) pressure-strengthening type. The former type happened in spring and the latter type in summer. Prevailing southerly winds, accompanied with the well-positioned NPH, may supply a large amount of warm water vapor for the fog formation and maintenance. The intensity of the air temperature inversion is stronger in summer cases than that in spring ones. The wind direction change from south to north and the unstable lower atmosphere may lead to fog’s dissipation. This study may provide a comprehensive understanding of sea fog’s onset, maintenance, and dissipation over the Yellow Sea.