ABOVE: A trio of mallards paddle through Sisseton Lake, near Ward Park, during a very foggy Tuesday morning in Fairmont. Photo by Vanessa Schultze

FAIRMONT – Fog has been a recurring theme for mornings the past few days.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Melissa Dye said visibility Monday morning dropped to a quarter mile or less.

“Because we’ve got really light winds, it takes a little while for that fog to mix out,” she said. “It looks like we were pretty foggy down there through about 10 a.m. or so before things cleared up a little bit.”

There are several factors Dye noted as bringing risks for fog.

“When our temperature and our dew point are about the same, that’s when we start seeing that risk for fog, along with those light winds,” she said. “Clear skies, especially during the fall months, when we’ve got that peak radiational cooling going on, can really help with generating fog.”

With radiational cooling, Dye said the earth loses heat when the sun and clouds are no longer there to add and insulate heat.

“Our temperature falls pretty quickly during the fall when we’ve got those longer nights starting to creep in,” she said.

Looking forward, Dye said Fairmont is not out of the woods yet.

“It does look like we will have more fog develop again overnight tonight,” she said. “As we head into Thursday, maybe less so by Thursday morning. From then on, we should be breezy enough to keep the worst of it at bay. A couple more foggy mornings here, and no real chance for rain in sight through the weekend.”

For those out early enough to encounter it, Dye encourages extra caution.

“Make sure you’re increasing your following distance if you’re out driving,” she said. “You’ve got your lights on, and give yourself some extra time to get to where you need to be.”