An extraordinary fog bank appeared just off the coast of New Jersey on Sunday. In fact, the fog was so unusual-looking that beach lifeguards in Sea Girt, New Jersey, sent the photos to the National Weather Service's forecast office fore New Jersey and Philadelphia, where one meteorologist called it the "coolest fog photo ever."
Some other shots of today's monster storm. #swimnearalifeguard #seagirt pic.twitter.com/4LqkGsYzPz— Sea Girt Lifeguards (@SGLifeguards) May 31, 2015
Weekend 2 in the books & ended w a fog bank, some surf & a wicked storm that came through #swimnearalifeguard pic.twitter.com/ZgRmj7AkUa— Sea Girt Lifeguards (@SGLifeguards) May 31, 2015
The NWS explained the cause of the tsunami-looking fog bank by saying that warm air blowing off comparatively cold ocean waters caused the air to cool rapidly and condense, forming the fog just offshore.
The winds blowing onshore, where temperatures were warmer, caused the fog bank to have trouble moving inland, with clear skies observed on satellite imagery just west of the beaches, while thunderstorms were forming farther inland.
Mother Nature was really showing off yesterday with the special effects. Coolest fog photo ever. pic.twitter.com/wX0QBTC2qQ— Gary Szatkowski (@GarySzatkowski) June 1, 2015
A fog tsunami yesterday over the ocean in Belmar @GarySzatkowski @SamChampion #wildweather pic.twitter.com/x07IhuAILi— Bill Mckim (@belmardays) June 1, 2015
Fog is common at this time of year along the New Jersey Shore as well as much of Long Island because air temperatures are warming much faster than ocean temperatures, forming perfect conditions for dense, low clouds.