“Off the California seaboard, ocean and sky create a phenomenon that has long defined life along the coast. It rushes through the Golden Gate, shaping a city with its bracing chill and haunting charm. Now, some scientists fear that a timeless companion is fading away as the world warms.
Every summer, fog breathes life into the Bay Area. But people who pay attention to its finer points, from scientists to sailors, city residents to real estate agents, gardeners to bridge painters, debate whether there is less fog than there used to be, as both science and general sentiment suggest.
The ecological, economic and social effects of fog are profound, perhaps no more than in Northern California. Changes would be life-altering. But understanding fog is one of science’s toughest tricks. Quantifying the changes and determining possible causes, including global warming, is climatology’s version of chasing ghosts.” - NYT