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What's that cloud? Eerie autumn occurrences

10:00
15 September 2022

What's that cloud?
Eerie autumn occurrences

River fog captured in Northwich, Cheshire in England in September 2022River fog captured in Northwich, Cheshire in England on September 9th 2022

With autumn getting underway, mist and fog will become an increasingly common occurrence.

A Weather & Radar user recently sent us in this eerie shot of fog spilling out onto the River Weaver, in Northwich, but how does this form, and why does it happen more in autumn?

Well, as the air temperature begins to drop after summer, colder air flows over warmer waters. Cold air can hold less moisture than warm air, so as the air above the body of water cools, it condenses to form fog droplets.

Did you know?

Because water retains heat better than land, places near large bodies of water such as along the coast, become less cold than inland areas through autumn and winter.

But cold air over warmer water isn't the only ingredient necessary. Light winds and clear skies exacerbate this process, as more heat from the ground can be lost out to the atmosphere, cooling the ground further, whilst light winds prevent mixing of the airflow.

Have you spotted any fog recently? Keep an eye out as it starts to turn cooler through this week, and be sure to send us in your weather shots!

Weather & Radar editorial team
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