Image
Image: San Diego Zoo Global
The Catalina Eddy
Image: NASA Earth Observatory
On June 13, 2018, the National Weather Service reported a small but well-defined eddy off the coast near the border of Orange County and San Diego County. An eddy is a counter-clockwise circulation pattern of fog and clouds. The Catalina eddy typically brings cool, moist air to the coast. A similar eddy was also reported in 2013 (pictured) by the NASA Earth Observatory.
Why do the clouds take on a whirlpool shape? What causes the Catalina eddy, and when does it typically appear?
Resources:
NASA Earth Observatory: Catalina eddy
San Diego Union Tribune: The beauty of a Catalina eddy
Times of San Diego: Catalina eddy phenomenon spotted off San Diego coast
Type
Phenomena
Subject
Earth and Space Science
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Phenomena
