"Keith (Southend)" wrote in message
...
:A decade or so ago I would have looked at the forthcoming charts showing
: high pressure on the near continent with a slack southerly flow and
: almost guaranteed widespread fogs. However, so far the forecasts have
: hardly mentioned fog(s). Is this to do with the "cleaner" air we now
: live with, compared to the soot producing smogs of yester-year. Wew
: hardly get an hour or two of fog in a year now, here at Southend-on-Sea,
: yet I can remember days with it, and some days it never cleared at all
: through the day.
:
: What has changed?

Hmm, interesting - you reminded me of about 15 years ago, and 12 years ago,
with days where the fog didn't lift.

I recall 15 years ago, driving from our village (nr Rugby) to Kenilworth to
meet my mum, then over to Coventry, all the while being in thick fog, and
even in the city (ok the burbs, but in amongst the houses) it was still
reducing visibility to about 50-100 yds.

12 years ago, I can remember setting off from the office (Hayes nr Bromley)
and it was freezing fog, and getting as far as Thurrock services before
giving up, and having to buy loads of bottled drink to clear the screen.
What should have taken me a couple of hours, took me the best part of 8
because of the speeds and the accidents to get back to the midlands.

Since we moved to the south east in 2004, I cannot remember any days that
stayed foggy and damp at all.

I'd be interested in the thoughts too as to why not - could it be related to
the overall amount of water about? ie in having such dry conditions for
quite a period, there isn't the excess moisture around to generate the fogs?
(ok I know thats is probably as dumb as it reads - but!)

Si