During the Humidity Exchange Over the Sea Main Experiment (HEXMAX) in October-November 1986, the vertical profile of a sea salt aerosol measured at 4.5 m, 12 m, and 18.3 m elevations, and its size distribution at 12 m elevation were investigated. Several data sets were collected under conditions of rainfall into the sea. These data indicate that the mass of marine aerosol is dramatically enhanced when the wind speed exceeds about 10 m s-1. The vertical distribution of sea salt aerosol measured under such conditions showed a substantial mass accumulation within a few meters over the sea. With increasing wind speed, a marked shift in the size distribution of sea salt aerosol mass toward smaller particles, as well as a gradual shift toward larger sizes of particles, was observed. This indicates that under rainy and windy weather conditions, the direct splashing of raindrops and the bursting of bubbles produced as a result of drop impact may greatly enhance exchange processes between the air and the sea. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1990