As morning transitions to afternoon and the air temperature increases, fog typically begins to dissipate. This occurs because fog consists of tiny water droplets suspended in the air, and as the temperature rises, the air can hold more moisture in the form of water vapor.
The change identified can be attributed to several factors:
-
Temperature Rise: As the sun rises higher in the sky, it warms the ground and the air above it. This increase in temperature helps to evaporate the water droplets that make up the fog.
-
Relative Humidity: Fog forms when the relative humidity is near 100%, meaning the air is saturated with moisture. As the temperature increases, the capacity of the air to hold moisture increases, leading to a decrease in relative humidity, causing the fog to dissipate.
-
Air Movement: Often, as the day progresses, there can be changes in wind patterns that help to disperse the fog.
In summary, the combination of rising temperatures and changes in humidity leads to the evaporation of the moisture in the fog, causing it to lift or dissipate as the afternoon approaches.