Cyclades islands covered by dense sea fog

A dense blanket of fog covered several islands in the Cyclades archipelago on August 19, 2026, significantly reducing visibility and impacting maritime traffic. The phenomenon was particularly intense in Kimolos, Paros, Antiparos, Folegandros, Milos, and Ios. Vessels navigating between Paros and Antiparos were forced to use continuous sirens to warn other craft, including smaller boats without radar, as they emerged suddenly from the mist.

Meteorologist Theodoros Kolydas clarified that the event was not “sea smoke,” as some initial reports suggested. While sea smoke occurs when cold air moves over much warmer water, this event was an “advection sea fog.” This occurred because very humid and locally warmer air moved over a relatively cool sea surface, which was between 23–24°C. This interaction caused the air to reach its dew point, leading to condensation and the formation of the thick fog. Kolydas noted that such a phenomenon is relatively rare for the middle of August.