fog

Advection fog occurs when two currents of air, one cooler than the other meet, or by warm air flowing over a cold surface. Radiation fog forms through rapid heat loss from the land, causing condensation to take place and a mist to appear.

Cloud that collects at the surface of the Earth, composed of water vapour that has condensed on particles of dust in the atmosphere. Cloud and fog are both caused by the air temperature falling below dew point. The thickness of fog depends on the number of water particles it contains. Officially, fog refers to a condition when visibility is reduced to 1 km/0.6 mi or less, and mist or haze to that giving a visibility of 1–2 km/0.6–1.2 mi.

There are two types of fog. An advection fog is formed by the meeting of two currents of air, one cooler than the other, or by warm air flowing over a cold surface. Sea fogs commonly occur where warm and cold currents meet and the air above them mixes. A radiation fog forms on clear, calm nights when the land surface loses heat rapidly (by radiation); the air above is cooled to below its dew point and condensation takes place. A mist is produced by condensed water particles, and a haze by smoke or dust.

In some very dry areas, for example Baja California, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Namib Desert, and parts of Peru and Chile, coastal fogs enable plant and animal life to survive without rain and are a potential source of water for human use (by means of water collectors exploiting the effect of condensation).

Industrial areas uncontrolled by pollution laws have a continual haze of smoke over them, and if the temperature falls suddenly, a dense yellow smog forms.