Radiation Fog MET

Radiation fog is formed when the ground radiates more energy than it gains, cools, then takes energy from the air in contact with it, cooling it to its dew point. This will usuallyhappen on long nights (sun is down, and more time to lose energy) when the sky is clear (as the ground radiation escapes, not re-radiated back to earth) and the wind is light. It is rarely more than 500' in extent, and will dissipate either if winds force the air to mix or, more simply, the sun comes up and either burns the fog away or lifts it into low stratus.