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Marine Layer

When thinking about weather, in particular clouds and fog, I would say that Marine Layers are the most unpredictable and hardest to understand of all. This is because it is tough to know when it will show up or when it will burn off. And as a pilot, it is very important to know when and where the marine layer will rear its ugly head. So why is it so important? Well, let me ask you, fellow aviator: Have you ever departed your local airport, with weather report in hand stating that your destination airport is reporting severe clear for the next 24 hours only to find your destination airport is suddenly IFR? Well if your destination airport is near the ocean, the culprit of this drastic turn of events could be the marine layer. The problem with the marine layer is that often it will extend hundreds of miles up the coast, and depending on the landscape, many miles inland as well. For the purpose of this discussion we will be examining the southern California marine layer, namely San Diego to Santa Barbara. This is because I know a great deal about this area as I fly it daily. I don't want to presume that marine layers are all created equal. I was about 10 years into my flying when I made my first big mistake with the marine layer. I departed Deer Valley airport (KDVT) in Phoenix, AZ with the intention to fly in severe clear to Long Beach, CA (KLGB) with a stop in Palm Springs (KPSP). I departed with a warm fuzzy feeling on an IFR flight plan, weather in hand, and a promise of clear blue the whole way. The flight from KDVT to KPSP was routine with no issues. After a brief refuel, (just for some added pice of mind), we took off bound for KLGB and some fun at Disney. As soon as we got through the Banning Pass, bam. We were in a high thick marine layer that had moved in within the past 3-4 hours. I was able to get into KLGB but in IMC, and after some hair raising ice collection. We will save the details of that story for another article. Instead, let's look into how I could have predicted this situation a little better. Let's first examine how marine layer is formed. We all know how clouds are formed, so I am going to bypass all the basics and get to the heart of the problem. Marine layers are formed by a process called advection, which is cool air flow to the land from a body of water. In our case the body of water would be the ocean. The marine layer is affected by the wind. Wind under 15 knots will only deepen the layer, however if the wind is greater than 15 knots then the marine layer will move higher to low stratus or stratocumulus clouds. Advection fog, or marine layer, can move in rapidly regardless of time of day or night. So how can we tell if, or when, the marine layer will burn off? Generally speaking, the sun's warming effect erodes the marine layer from the edges, causing it to lift gradually. Heating the air reduces the relative humidity and also helps "stir" the air, bringing down drier air from above, and causing the fog base to rise. In most cases, these processes mean that by midday the fog has disappeared. If the marine layer is particularly deep and thick, the sun's rays may not penetrate it to warm the surface, and the marine layer will not lift. So when I am trying to predict the burn off I'm looking for 3 main factors: Number 1- Temperature and dew point spread. If the spread is separated by less than 4°C then the marine layer is sticking around. If the spread is greater than 4°C then it's on the move. The greater the temperature and dew point spread the quicker the burn off. Number 2- I check PIREPS to gauge the thickness of the marine layer, as well as the base of the clouds. If the marine layer is thick, (i.e., base at 1,500 with top at 3,000) burn off will take all day, if it happens at all. If the base of the marine layer is above 2,500 feet then the likelihood that it will burn off completely is very unlikely. Number 3- I check satellites and PIREPS to see if there will be a higher overcast over the marine layer. If there is, than you can forget about it going anywhere. So that sums up all I have learned about the marine layer in Southern California. If you are a non-instrument rated pilot don't even think about entering the marine layer as it could extend to the ground and cover mountains that don't move when you hit them with your aircraft.

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