![]() Mists hinder vision within a distance of less than or equal to one kilometer. Consequently, water droplets hang in the atmosphere hindering vision. The only difference between a fog and a cloud is the location, whereas fog can form on ground level, clouds form in the atmosphere.Mist forms when the warm, moist air suddenly cools because of cold temperatures. In a nutshell, fog and clouds are generally the same thing they form from the same process and under the same conditions. Precipitation fog forms when rain or snow falls, while upslope fog develop on large mountains and hills and valley fog forms in mountain valleys during winter and can be more than 1,500 feet thick. Steam fog forms over bodies of water often in cooler seasons such as autumn. Advection fog forms when hot air moves over a cooler surface, while radiation fog forms on clear, cool nights. Different types of fog include Advection fog, Radiation fog, Steam fog, Precipitation fog, Upslope fog and Valley fog. Air that is filled with moisture, or is humid, comes in contact with cooler temperatures on the ground, which then condenses and forms into fog.Īnother manner in which fog can form is when warm air moves over a cooler surface creates a foggy atmosphere that affects visibility. Have you noticed that fogs generally form in areas where humidity meets with cooler temperatures? Well, that how they develop. The American Meteorological Society glossary defines fog as "water droplets suspended in the atmosphere in the vicinity of the earth's surface that affect visibility". Prefixes are used in connection with clouds: strato- for low clouds with limited convection that form mostly in layers, nimbo- for thick layered clouds that can produce moderate to heavy precipitation, alto- for middle clouds, and cirro- for high clouds.Ĭondensation is not only limited to appearing high up in the atmosphere, it can also happen on ground level, though this is not known as cloud, more as ‘Fog’. Water droplets in the air can vary from 10 micros to 5mm in size.Īccording to the international cloud classification system, clouds can be classified into cumulus, stratus or cirrus forms. When these particles mix with dust, salt, smoke and other chemicals or gases, they grow in size and form into clouds. Though clouds are not always visible, it does not mean that water is not present in the atmosphere at any given time, water in the form of water vapor and small droplets are present in the atmosphere though they cannot be seen. Water evaporates from the ground because of heat, which then condenses to form clouds that provide water back on earth in form of rain, snow, hail, etc. There are many types of clouds such as cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and nimbus to name a few.Ĭlouds play an important part in the water cycle on the planet, as it provides us water in the form of precipitation. Condensation is the process in which water vapor is converted into liquid water. Clouds are formed because of condensation of water vapor present in air. These processes could cause the air to become saturated cooling the air or adding water vapor to the air. Two processes, possible acting together, could produce the right conditions for the formation of a cloud. The suspended particles in the atmosphere are also known as aerosols. The American Meteorological Society glossary defines a ‘cloud’ as "A visible aggregate of minute water droplets and/or ice particles in the atmosphere above the earth's surface". These two are similar, though have slight differences in the sense of formation and location. ![]() ![]() ‘Fog’ and ‘Clouds’ are two of many weather phenomena that happen on Earth, that form under the right conditions. Key Difference: American Meteorological Society glossary defines a ‘cloud’ as "A visible aggregate of minute water droplets and/or ice particles in the atmosphere above the earth's surface" while fog is defined as "water droplets suspended in the atmosphere in the vicinity of the earth's surface that affect visibility.”
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