Lifeguard warning as sea fog engulfs Manly

An eerie sea fog engulfed Manly this morning and experts predict it could return this afternoon. Lifeguards issued a warning with dangerous visibility at the beach.

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AN eerie sea fog engulfed Manly Beach this morning.

The fog had been lingering around Sydney for much of the morning but settled over Manly Beach, reducing visibility to dangerous levels, at around 10.40am.

With lifeguards struggling to see the water’s edge, swimmers were advised to stay between the flags.

Much of the fog has now cleared although experts predict it could return this afternoon.

“We are seeing the sea fog come down from the central NSW coast to Sydney,”

Jiwon Park, forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology, said.

Manly Beach shortly before 11am this morning.

“But I must emphasis it is very difficult to forecast.”

He said the fog had been caused by a high pressure system over the Tasman Sea which is blocking weather from the west.

He explained this had in turn allowed a northerly air flow to come down from the sub tropics, bringing with it moisture.

The fog also blanketed the coastline near Coogee this morning. Picture: Toby Zerna

“Moisture also builds up when the sea surface temperature is close to that of the dew point.

“The current sea surface temperature is 22C and the dew point temperature is 20.9C. That’s why we are seeing the current sea fog.”

A Northern Beaches Council spokeswoman confirmed a number of beaches has been closed as a result of Friday morning’s fog. They have all now reopened.

Beaches were also closed last month when a dense sea fog settled over the area.

On that occasion many of the northern beaches were covered as well as beaches further south including Bondi.