Haze domes: I learned to fly at Elsinore, Calif. and seeing haze domes
is so common here I thought it must be a common occurrance everywhere!
They are readily visible, when ocurring, from the ground or in the air.


I think first of course you require haze which we have a lot of here in
Southern California and locally refer to as smog. Polarized sunglasses
are a great help. With them rotating your head around the line of sight
can help to increase the definition between the haze and the clear air
above, the unpolarized and polarized light.

We generally use this as an indication that lift is generating over the
mountains. One can often observe condensation at the top of the 'domes'
even when the moisture level is so low as to ensure the day will be
'blue'. I am sure someone more meteorologically educated than I can
tell us how this occurs.