Condo Fog

The topic of man-made climate change is now a contentious one, but if you're still not convinced that people can influence the weather, consider condo fog for the most striking illustration you'll ever see. Condo fog is a phenomenon that is most famously seen in Panama City, Florida, which is caused when hot, humid air strikes a constructed wall of condominiums. It comes in from the Gulf of Mexico, crashes against the apartment building wall, rises into the air, cools, and condenses into a wave of white fog.

Every 100 meters of elevation rise results in an air temperature drop of around 1 degree Celsius. In order to pass the condos, the air had to ascend just 50 meters, yet the temperature decrease of just half a degree was enough to cause clouds to form. Once it passes the structure, the temperature returns to normal, the clouds dissipate, and just the condos remain wrapped in mist. Although it's fascinating to watch it unfold over buildings, a similar process also causes mountain peaks to be shrouded in fog. When we observe it on mountains rather than coastal structures, we simply consider it to be more typical.

Time: 2012
Location: Florida, United States