P10.6 Characterizing Fog Occurrences in the Northeastern United States Using Historical Data

Advances in the understanding of the physics of fog have been made through numerous field experiments and modeling studies. Nevertheless a complete understanding of the processes and interactions influencing its life cycle remain elusive. This is particularly true for fog and other boundary layer clouds occurring in areas characterized by a complex landscape. One such region is the New York metropolitan area, where fog is a common occurrence. This area is of particular interest since it is heavily populated and thus is characterized by heavy air and road traffic. In fact, low ceilings and visibility is identified as important causes of delays at the major airports in the area (Allan et al., 2001). The complexity of the landscape, with a complex coastline and significant variations in land surface characteristics (urban, suburban, rural areas, rivers and lakes), along with high levels of pollution, provides for a wide range of influences which can potentially affect the dynamical behavior and microphysical characteristics of fog and stratus clouds.