Fog: Does that mean WNC will have snowy winter days?

Posted on by Pamela McCown

From the Institute for Climate Education at A-B Tech: Fog has been a common morning feature across the valleys in Western North Carolina for much of the summer and early fall.  And while fog causes concern for travel because it reduces visibility, could it also be possible that the fog may be warning us of the coming winter?


The French Broad River Valley was coated with a thick blanket of fog and low clouds Thursday morning, as you can see in the picture above that I took at around 9 a.m. This image was taken at 4,000 feet, not far from Mars Hill, looking southeast into north Buncombe County.

Fog occurs in the morning when the air close to the ground cools overnight and becomes saturated (it’s relative humidity reaches 100 percent — so the water vapor in the air condenses and creates tiny suspended water droplets, aka, a cloud on the ground).  Our region has received quite a bit of rainfall this summer, so there has been ample moisture available to create the fog during most mornings.

Did you count the number of foggy days in August?  There were quite a few. By one report coming from north Buncombe County, there were at least 18 of them.  The National Weather Service reporting location at the Asheville Regional Airport recorded 27 days in August that had fog, and during 14 of those days — the fog was thick enough to reduce visibility to less than 1/4 mile. Why? What’s the big deal with fog?

There’s an old weather lore saying that states:
For every fog in August,
There will be a snowfall in winter

Ummm … oops!


The image above captures the last of this morning’s fog suspended over sunflowers that were so beautiful and bright that I’m thinking anything but winter snow.  However, it does cause one to wonder — could the old weather lore statement be right?

Only time will tell …

If you are interested in learning more about what we can expect for the coming winter, mark your calendar for Thursday, Nov. 8. The Institute is hosting a free seminar on the extended winter weather forecast. More details to come — but an event not to be missed

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2 thoughts on “Fog: Does that mean WNC will have snowy winter days?”

  1. dpewen

    Makes no difference to me and Caroline since we will be travelling Mexico, central and south America for 6 months starting in November … let it snow and be freezing cold here!!!

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