Mist is a common Weather Phenomenon when tiny droplets of water get suspended in the atmosphere. The size of the particles can vary from 50 to 200 microns in diameter and they can also be hygroscopic in nature.

Occurrences of Mist:

Mist can form as an occurrence of natural weather or due to some volcanic eruption. It is commonly seen when cold air comes in contact with warm water or when air is exhaled in cold weather or in sauna rooms. Man can also synthetically create mist with the help of an aerosol canister, provided the conditions of humidity are right. Mists can normally be seen near sea shores and is frequently connected with fogs. A drizzle that is steady and light is known as Scotch mist . Mists usually occur in forests or mountainous regions.

Difference between Mist and Fog:

There is a general confusion between mist and fog. But the difference in them lies in their visibility. In case of fog the visibility is lowered to 1 km or even less than that. The other cases are known as mist . For the purpose of driving in the UK, fog is defined as that whose visibility is lower than 200 meters. For people like pilots the visibility is up to 1 km.

Color of Mist:

Mist is noticed from a certain distance as a slightly blue layer whereas haze is towards the brown. It gives an appearance of covering the land with a flimsy, gray colored veil. A beam of light can be seen from the side of mist because of the refraction and reflection that takes place through the suspension of water droplets.

In certain cultures mist is strongly associated with various superstitious and religious beliefs.