Mysterious Dark Watchers in California

Weather Services wasn’t familiar with the legends of the dark watchers, but is an expert on weather phenomena along the Central Coast. Null agrees that there may be a scientific explanation for the dark watchers, one hidden in the fog. Brocken spectres form when shadows—like that of a mountaineer—are cast against the mist. The sun, especially as it rises or sets, may be behind the hiker. The mist will distort the human’s shadow, making it look huge, while also allowing it to disappear with a slight change in position or a gust of wind.

“It certainly is a logical explanation from a meteorology and optics point of view,” says Null, who has seen his own shadow form a Brocken spectre on a misty morning. “I had never heard of dark watchers before, but the types of imagery you see with Brocken spectres seem to match up with what has been described.”