Why recent rains are leading to foggy mornings?

While it can sometimes be a scene straight out of a horror movie, fog can also create some spectacular views thanks to buildings and the topography of an area. Many in Mid-Missouri may have noticed those foggy views each morning this week, making the drive to work quite challenging at times and we have the rain from this past weekend partly to blame.

After what was one of the driest springs on record, some much needed rain finally tracked into Mid-Missouri providing some drought relief. The rain came over a period of several hours from Saturday into Sunday, which allowed most of the rain to really soak into the ground. The saturated soil increases the moisture content into the atmosphere, which in turn raises the dew point and making it feel more humid. As the rain came to an end into the evening hours, the light winds, cooler conditions, and high moisture content allowed for fog to form at the surface. The patchy to dense fog was continuously fueled through the night thanks to the moisture from the saturated soil, with the fog eventually dissipating through the morning hours as the earth became warmer.

Once more of the moisture has been depleted from the soil, it’s hard for fog to form, which is why foggy conditions will become less likely until more rain arrives this weekend.

While fog can be a nuisance to us here in Mid-Missouri, it’s actually beneficial for arid and drought ridden climates across the world in the form of fog harvesting. This is done by stretching a net across an area, where winds can blow the fog through the nets. As the fog tracks across the nets, the water that makes up the fog is captured. This water then drops and collects in a trough, where harvesters store it for those who need it.

While this may seem like a relatively new concept, the practice has actually been around for decades. Many countries along the equator currently use this process to collect fog, as it is readily available due to the climate of the region.

In addition to fog harvesting, fog can actually be very hazardous for those on the roadways. Fog almost always reduces visibility significantly, which is why it is especially important that drivers remain away and focused.

Here is some safety advice for driving in foggy conditions:

– Leave plenty of distance between you and the person in front of you

– Use your vehicles low beams or fog lights, as the high beams will actually be reflected back towards you by the water molecules that make up the fog

– Slow down and refrain from using cruise control

– Use the white line on the right side of the road to guide you, as the white line will reflect your headlights

– Use your defroster to prevent your window from getting foggy

Stay with ABC 17 Stormtrack as we continue to track more rain and fog in the forecast and follow us on Twitter @ABC17Stormtrack.