![]() ![]() KBJC(when I worked there it was a completely manual station), we'd report anywhere up to 70SM or higher visibility, due to our visibility markers. Now if you look at stations that are completely manual, i.e. This is the visibility that is considered representative of visibility conditions at the station."Īutomated stations, generally report a max visibility of 10 SM. Visibility is defined as "Visibility is a measure of the horizontal opacity of the atmosphere at the point of observation and is expressed in terms of the horizontal distance at which a person should be able to see and identify specific objects."Īll METARs report Prevailing Visibility, which is: "Prevailing visibility is the greatest visibility equaled or exceeded throughout at least half the horizon circle, which does not necessarily have to be continuous. Take a look at various kinds here.All my quotes for this post comes from FAA Order 7900.5C, the Surface Weather Observing Guide. You might be surprised to learn that there is a variety of fog made through different formation processes. Some fog forms when the air near the ground cools enough to turn water vapor into liquid water.įog also forms when the wind is still, and it thins out or lifts once the sun breaks through or the breeze introduces movement of drier air. The main meteorological variables involved in the formation of fog are temperature, relative humidity, dew point, and wind speed. Some parts of town are often more prone to development than others. In addition to widespread fog, forecasters must pay attention to the localized nature of fog and its possibility of occurrence in valleys and near waterways. Take extra caution if you find yourself on the road in this situation, but the best bet is to avoid driving altogether until the fog has lifted. These conditions make travel difficult or impossible. When this happens, visibilities frequently drop to one-quarter of a mile or less. The National Weather Service issues a Dense Fog Advisory when caution is needed. ![]() Satellite data not only provides true fog imagery but can also be used to predict the likelihood of fog formation ahead of time. Infrared satellites can see fog and clouds at night with sensors that measure the heat radiating off of them. A visible satellite provides images during the day since clouds reflect the light from the sun. These images give a distinct visual of poor visibility locations.īoth visible and infrared satellite imagery help spot fog. This timely information gives us a heads up of where the fog has settled in. Both geostationary and polar satellites show fog in real time. When we are stuck in pea soup on the ground, there likely is a view of it from above. There are tens of thousands of automated surface observation stations across our country. These scientific weather observing equipment are all around the country and constantly gather and transmit weather data. If you get your weather on a phone app or from watching a local television meteorologist, the visibility information you receive is probably coming from a local observation station. It’s important to pay attention to your local forecast and weather observations to see if fog is on the way or already awaiting your travels. When the beam detects more powerful scattered light, there are more fog droplets or more dense areas of fog.įog sensors record visibility data based on one-minute samples averaged over several minutes, giving way to new real-time data observation.ĭid you know there are a few different classifications of fog, and we are prone to seeing all of them at one point or another? They include radiation, upslope, ground, inversion as well as combination types of fog. This process includes scattered light through the air that is aimed at a sensor. Some automated-type equipment contains forward scatter sensors to estimate visibility. ![]() Real-time data collection is crucial for providing current information about foggy spots and where you may need to wait it out until the fog lifts. and could we exceed 70 degrees? /zohxtJhHxR We'll go from 50s early through the 60s today. Fog lifts within the next couple of hours and some sunny breaks arrive before an active period of weather tonight and tomorrow. #FOG in spots might be slowing some of us down on this mild morning. ![]()
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