Fog has cloaked the North East coastline for much of the past week - here's why it happens
Fog has stubbornly refused to clear the North East coastline for much of the past week.
The blanket of low cloud has kept temperatures down while other parts of the country have enjoyed warmer weather.
A Met Office spokesman said: “This has essentially been caused by warm, moist air passing over the cooler North Sea.
“This causes the cold air just above the sea to warm and condense until it can't hold any moisture causing fog.
“The light easterly winds have been pushing the fog towards the coastline.”
As the winds have been relatively light, the fog has not penetrated too far inland.
Coastal fog usually occurs in the spring and summer months when conditions begin to warm up but the sea (which warms more slowly) stays relatively cold.
The impact, location and movement of coastal fog depend upon a number of conditions, including wind strength, wind direction and land temperature.
If, as is common along the UK's east coast, the winds blow in from the east, the fog will often rapidly cover the coast in a blanket of fog.
If the land temperature is warm, the fog can quickly dissipate as the parcel of air warms.
However, if the land temperature is cooler, the fog can linger for a longer time.
The positive has been that the region has largely avoided the thunderstorms and sharp downpours which hit southern and western areas.
As the saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining.