Its all white outside and visibility is low, but what is the difference between a fog and a mist?
It has been said that fog feels eery whilst a mist feels empty. I think this sums them up pretty well.
I remember once driving through dense fog for over an hour and it is so disorientating as if I was driving through outer space.
Fog
A fog occurs when the relative visibility is below 1 km and the relative humidity exceeds 95%.
The most common cause of fog is cooling by radiation when the ground cools, causing a layer of air next to the ground to cool also. A fog starts to form and condenses heat, and so becomes cooler. Gentle movement of the air makes the fog thicker.
Ground fog (also known as radiation fog) often occurs over damp or wet ground after a rainy night or when clouds touch the ground. Sea fog (also known as Advection fog) is caused when warm air flows over cold sea surface, or even the land.
Mist
A mist comprises of small droplets suspended in air. The droplets are smaller than those present in a fog and not so densely packed. A mist occurs when visibility is between 1 km and 2 km.
Mist is commonly seen in cold air above warm water such as in a bathroom, when you breathe out on a cold day or the steam of a sauna.
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