PubTalk 7/2014 — The Ecological Value of Coastal Fog

Cooling relief and nebulous forecasts for northern California

by Alicia Torregrosa, USGS Physical Scientist

• Did you know:
• The Moss Beach/Montara area north of Half Moon Bay is the foggiest place in the San Francisco Bay Area?
• Summertime fog in northern California depends on ocean conditions from Tahiti to Alaska?
• The presence of coastal fog is critical to maintain biodiversity?
• Fog water can be harvested by meshes that mimic desert dune grasses?
• New satellite sensors are among many new tools for ecologists and resource managers to understand fog dynamics?