Why Is There Fog Near Lakes and Rivers?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why is there fog near lakes and rivers?

The Big Idea

Lakes and rivers keep adding invisible water vapor to the air above them. When cool night air settles over that moist air, the vapor can turn into tiny droplets. That wraps the shore in fog, like a humidity hug.

Water Adds Moisture

Step one: the water adds moisture. A lake or river is always evaporating a little, sending invisible water vapor into the air. So the air right above the water is very damp.

Cool Night Air Arrives

Step two: cool night air arrives. After sunset, the air above the land cools off, and that cool air slides over the shore. The damp air chills until it reaches its dew point, where it cannot hold all that vapor.

Fog Wraps the Shore

Step three: fog wraps the shore. The extra vapor condenses into billions of tiny floating droplets. Calm air leaves those droplets hanging low, so wisps of fog drift over the water.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at shoreline fog! Moist air rises off the water. Cool air chills it to the dew point. And the fog is the cloud of tiny droplets that results.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Fog over water often looks like steam rising off the surface. Fog is most common near lakes and rivers on cool, calm mornings. The Sun usually burns the fog away by late morning. Stay back from the water's edge in fog, and always go with a grown-up.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, find photos of a lake in the morning and the afternoon. Compare how foggy each one looks. Notice the time and temperature in each photo, if you can. Then explain why the fog went away.

Outro

Water, cool air, and calm mornings add up to a fog hug. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!