Discussion of the observations of the Oceanographer Discovery off Somalia during August 1964 to explain absence of fog

Abstract

Observations of the Occanographor Discovery during 16 to 21 August 1964 presented by Ramage (1968) have been discussed to understand the causes responsible for the absence of fog over the area where the inversion began at the surface inspite of humidity being more than 90 per cent. Topographical features on the two sides of the Gulf of Aden and the south Red Sea and to the west of Somalia coast have to be taken into account as they affect the air flow over the area. Temperatures at the top of the inversion were higher by about 6⁰C at 10⁰N than at 7⁰N because of the differences in the nature of airmasses over the two locations, there being drier air at the former and moist air at the latter location. There is no evidence of massive and persistent subsidence below about 4.0 km in the dry air over the area between 10 to 12⁰N. Absence of fog was due to strong wind conditions; the latter and high humidity would prevent significant cooling due to radiation.