Climate change in the Bay Area is starting to take on visible form as residents who know the area to have an iconic fog pattern through the Golden Gate Gap are seeing a decrease in the amount of coverage that they observe.
Many expect the fog to be rolling around in June, but over the past decade, residents are seeing less and less of the weather phenomena. But while the fog provides a certain tourist attraction, it also provides cooling during the hot summer months that can break a heatwave. Additionally, it increases the humidity in the region, lowering the risk of fire.
Reduced San Francisco Fog
In the past few decades, the climate has seen a significant change and experts have observed a significant drop in the amount of Summer fog in San Francisco.
Data showed that in the last century, San Franciscans have experienced a 34.5% reduction in fog, which means there are about three to four hours less of it per day. The reduced phenomenon brings lower humidity, higher wildfire risk and stressed ecosystems, NBC Bay Area reported.
A chart showed that in the 1970s, San Francisco had an average of 200 days of above-average temperatures. However, during the same time in 2010, the average doubled to 400. Researchers attributed the reduced fog to the increasingly warming weather.
