Explained: What caused eerie fog in late afternoon in Wide Bay

The eerie fog that hung over beaches across the Wide Bay last week can now be explained.

The eerie fog hanging over the beach at The Pines at Pialba last week.

A strange fog reported in parts of the Wide Bay last week most likely had a harmless explanation, a Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman has said.

Photos and videos circulated from residents in Hervey Bay and Bundaberg, who were bemused by the sight of the fog in the late afternoon on July 9.

“This fog is most likely caused by a process called radiative cooling,” the spokeswoman said.

“Radiative cooling is the term used to describe the Earth’s surface cooling down overnight.

“This causes the air near the ground to cool below its dew point temperature and condense into fog.

“This is why fog is usually observed in the early morning, after the cool of the night.

The eerie fog hanging over the beach at The Pines at Pialba last week.

“This typically happens on clear, calm nights when heat escapes into the atmosphere, leading to a drop in temperature near the ground.

“The fog layer can deepen as the air above cools further, and it usually dissipates after sunrise as the ground warms up.”

The spokeswoman said the fog was nothing to be concerned about, unless travelling on the road.

“Sometimes, if fog is very thick, it may significantly reduce visibility and lead to dangerous driving conditions,” she said.

“But usually, as it only occurs with clearer skies and light winds, it is indicative of more settled weather.

“In the right conditions, this is not an entirely unusual phenomenon for the Hervey Bay-Bundaberg coastline, although is more common further inland/south, where conditions are cooler overnight, or away from the coast, as coasts often see fresher winds.”