Florida residents were subject to some intense fog in February, and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported on the wide range of social media reactions.
As the news outlet noted, fog is a natural phenomenon that can have different causes. One of which is warm air that radiates from the ground on a cloudless night, causing the ground and air above it to cool and near-ground moisture to condense into water droplets. A National Weather Service source interviewed by the publication pointed to ideal weather conditions — Florida was under an area of high pressure with lighter local winds and clear skies, with enough moisture close to ground level for fog to form.
Many Florida residents complained about the issue causing a lack of visibility, and some postulated about the vapor's composition. But the expert quoted in the story tried to dispel fears some held that the fog was full of bacteria because of swirling patterns seen when exposed to light.
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Definitely 💯 "If you shine, you know, any kind of light in the fog, what you're actually seeing are the very, very small water droplets. They can reflect light," Megan Tollefsen, coastal hazards program leader at the National Weather Service in Melbourne, Florida, explained to the Herald-Tribune. "Similar to when you're out driving and you turn your high beams on in fog. You get that flashback from the light. So that is likely what people are seeing."
Another complaint was about the fog's smell. Condensation can capture pollutants in the air and slow their usual dispersal in a process sometimes referred to as scavenging. While pollutants in fog can aggravate breathing issues in specific situations, social media reactions included unsupported accusations of an intentional biowarfare attack. At that point, the challenge is less the fog and more the general public's perception of natural phenomena.
Climate misinformation has led to a wide range of interpretations of the natural world. While it's an uphill battle, it's one that can only be won with detailed references to credible sources and kind dialog.
Other social media reactions to the fog in Florida have been more measured.Â
"I was just in Florida. First, there's always fog in Florida. It's a swamp and humid. Second, the fog looks like regular-ass fog. I have no idea what this is all about but this whole 'fog hysteria' is really bizarre," said one Redditor in response to a TikTok video expressing concerns about the fog.
"TikTok is a brain rot app that incentivizes lying and sensationalization for fake click numbers," replied another.
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