Why is it so cloudy in Central New York?
There are several reasons for this. First off, we are on the western slope of the Appalachian Mountains, which essentially run from Georgia, up the east coast, through Maine. Since the prevailing winds come from the west, the air is forced to rise up when it hits the higher terrain to our east. This causes the air to cool and the moisture to condense, thus forming clouds. We also have a large moisture source less than 100 miles away (Lake Ontario) which adds additional moisture to the air, especially from October to April. In addition to that our hills and mountains can sometimes trap moisture and cool air near the ground in the valleys. Q: Why is there so much fog, especially in the fall? A: The longer nights of the late summer and fall in combination with the clear skies and light winds that are common at night in August, September, and October, help temperatures to fall quickly to the dewpoint, the temperature at which water vapor in the air will condense. Once the temperature and d
