Fog and moisture in the air

Short answer: In fog the air is saturated with water. Sweat cannot evaporate, and your clothes get damp from the outside even without rain, so a tight outer layer that keeps the moisture out helps more than extra layers underneath.

Fog is water in the air

Fog may not look like weather that gets you wet, but the air is full of tiny water droplets. They hang in the air instead of falling, and settle on everything they touch. After a walk in thick fog, your clothes can be damp when you get home, even though it has not rained.

Moisture from outside and inside

In fog, fabric gets damp from both sides at once. Outside, the droplets settle on the surface, and inside comes the moisture your body gives off as you move. A soft layer next to the body is nice, but it needs something over it. See bamboo hoodie for women.

Evaporation does not work

With saturated air, moisture has nowhere to go. On a dry day, the small amount of sweat you give off passes through your clothes and into the air. In fog it stays in the fabric. Walk at a calm pace and take off a layer before you get warm. See all women's clothing.

Why fog feels colder

Damp clothes draw warmth away from the body much faster than dry ones. That is why a foggy morning at six degrees feels colder than a clear morning at the same temperature. It is not the air that is colder, but your clothes holding warmth less well.

An outer layer that keeps moisture out

Against fog, a tight outer layer works better than more layers underneath. If moisture gets in, all the layers just get damp. An outer layer that keeps the droplets on the surface protects the soft clothes below. See most popular for women for the pieces most often worn under a jacket.

Keep your hood ready

Hair and neck get damp quickly in fog, and you feel it as cold running down your back. A hood you can pull up keeps moisture away from your neck. If you are out for a long time, it makes a clear difference to how warm you feel when you get home.

Dry your clothes when you get in

Hang damp clothes up as soon as you get home. Do not leave them in a pile or put them back in the wardrobe, or the moisture stays in the fabric. A room with a little warmth and air around the clothes dries them in a few hours.

Plan around the fog

Fog is often thickest in the morning and lifts during the late morning. If you head out early, wear the outer layer even if it is not raining. Later in the day you can often do without it. A look out of the window is often enough to choose the right clothes.

Frequently asked questions

Why do clothes get damp in fog even without rain

Because the air is saturated with water droplets. They settle on the fabric, and the moisture slowly works its way in the longer you are out in the fog.

Why does fog feel colder than dry air

Because damp clothes draw warmth away from the body much faster than dry ones, so the same temperature feels colder on a foggy day.

What helps most

A tight outer layer that keeps the moisture out. More layers underneath do not help if the moisture gets in, because then they all just get wet.