Home / Editor's Pick /

A foggy start: How does fog form?

09:45
14 November 2022

A foggy start
How does fog form?

foggy field

It's been a foggy start for many of us this morning, but how does it form and will it affect your commute?

Autumn and winter is the perfect time for fog to develop, especially in periods of high pressure dominated weather, with weaker winds allowing dense fog to settle, even for days at a time.

This morning's fog that is largely dominating the east of the UK formed under a ridge of high pressure, and will likely be quite slow to budge through the morning. You can find out if it's affecting your area on the WeatherRadar.

There are several types of fog that form in different ways, including valley fog, radiation fog and advection fog. To learn more on exactly how and why fog forms, check out our Weather Explained video below:

Because of the many factors involved, forecasting the arrival and exact location of fog is actually quite tricky. If just one aspect of the development is out of sync, fog is unlikely to form. Cloud cover, wind speeds, temperature, moisture levels, and daylight hours all play a role.

A different type of fog can also occur in sub-zero temperatures, this is called freezing fog and will become a more likely occurrence in the depths of winter, rather than autumn. If you capture any atmospheric shots be sure to send them in via our dedicated uploader.

Foggy mornings

Did you know? The BBC's first bulletin 100 years ago today covered a fog warning!

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Split image showing an alpine winter landscape and a European weather map with snow and rain areas.
Monday, 1 December 2025

Winter begins today

Wintry weather only in a few places
Weather radar map of the UK and Ireland showing widespread blue precipitation bands with temperatures near major cities, overlaid by a large cloud with two blue raindrops.
Tuesday, 2 December 2025

Close to record-breaking

A wet autumn season in the books
Weather map showing a thunderstorm cell and lightning over the east coast of Queensland.
Tuesday, 25 November 2025

Severe thunderstorms

Huge hailstorm hits eastern Australia
All weather news
This might also interest you
Friday, 22 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Sunny start for some, overcast later
plit image showing a double rainbow over a rocky shoreline on the left and sheep grazing in a green field under stormy clouds on the right.
Sunday, 2 November 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mixed conditions on an unsettled week
Sunday, 17 August 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Summer shots from a warm week
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList