Detailed Summary of Fog and Mist
Fog and mist represent two forms of low-lying clouds resulting from condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere when temperatures sharply decrease. When an air mass that holds a considerable amount of water vapor experiences a sudden drop in temperature, condensation activates on fine dust particles within the air, leading to the formation of fog.
Key Characteristics of Fog:
- Visibility Impairment: Fog reduces visibility significantly, often to near-zero levels.
- Formation Conditions: Particularly prevalent in urban environments where smoke and dust provide ample condensation nuclei.
- Smog Interaction: When fog combines with smoke, it results in a phenomenon known as smog.
Key Characteristics of Mist:
- Differences from fog include the higher moisture content in mist compared to fog. Each individual nucleus in mist holds a thicker layer of moisture.
- Geographic Prevalence: Mist commonly occurs over mountains where warm air rises and meets cooler surfaces, leading to condensation.
- Fog vs. Mist: While both phenomena result from condensation, fog is regarded as drier compared to mist and occurs in various environmental conditions, contingent upon the contact between warm and cold air currents.