Ground Fog Day

Q. Haven't we gotten along just fine without Ground Fog Day?

A. Have we really? I think people have been in denial about the end of Summer. They go merrily along, wearing Bermuda shorts, tank tops, bikinis and such, then suddenly - BLAM! - it's Labor Day (or Labour Day in Canada) and the next thing you know, the kids are back in school, then the leaves start turning, and the next thing (or should that be the next next thing?) you know, you step outside in your Bermuda shorts or bikini and you freeze your, um, well, something rather vital off. The time has come for a national or even international Ground Fog Day.Wouldn't a little advance warning help?

Q. You ended with a question! Isn't that my job?

A. You're right. Sorry. Go ahead.

Q. Why do you say its time has come?

A. Its time has come because...well...ummm...uhhhh...because I thought of it, that's why!

Q.You started this lens in September 2008. A little late, weren't you?

A. Hey! I'm no amateur crastinator; I'm a pro! Look at it this way: there's plenty of time to develop this idea before August 2, 2009. Besides, there's a story behind why I started the lens in September.

Q. And you're going to tell the story.

A: That's not a question.

Q: ::sigh:: Are you going to tell the story?

A. Of course! Back in the '70s a co-worker and I were doing a monthly employee newsletter. I'd seen something about little-known holidays and notable dates in history, none of which really existed, and decided to devote a page to a month's worth of similar stuff like "Procrastinators New Years Day" (March 1) and "First Sunday of Lint." For August 2, I wrote in "Ground Fog Day." At the time, that was it. Then in September 2008 I was looking up stuff about the Portland (Oregon) Pirate Festival and recalled the "Talk Like a Pirate Day" founders had been there in 2007. I was thinking they must have had fun making up their own holiday. It made me remember that long-ago calendar and Ground Fog Day seemed like a holiday to create. Being six months from Groundhog Day, it seemed to have possibilities.

Q. Aren't there more than six weeks between August 2 and the first day of Autumn?

A. You had to get technical, didn't you? (Oops, sorry, that was a question.) Yes, you're right, but people know Groundhog Day is February 2. I figure if we try to establish Ground Fog Day on another date, people might get confused. Heck, I might get confused! Besides the dates of the Vernal Equinox (when Spring starts) and the Autumnal Equinox (three guesses what starts then, first two don't count) keep moving around a bit, so neither February 2 or August 2 are six (or seven) weeks before them. Also, back in the 1700s they changed the calendar, which threw things off several days. It's more like seven weeks for Ground Fog Day, but again, people (and I) could get confused if we talk about seven more weeks of Summer because they're used to hearing about Groundhog Day and six more weeks of Winter. Let's keep it simple.

Q. Like you?

A. Hey!

Q. Sorry, but "seven more weeks of Summer" sounds better.

A. I can't answer that since you didn't ask a question.

Q. Picky, picky, picky. All right, try this: You said "we." Who are "we"?

A. To start off, it's just me. I'm hoping people won't think too hard about what that means: I'm writing both sides of this conversation. I'm also hoping people will have some ideas about Ground Fog Day and help out.

Q. Do you really think people are that weird?

A. Clearly some are. Have you seen the lens for the Mosquito Protection Society? Or the lens for Talk Like a Pirate Day? Ever heard of Dave Barry, who helped make Talk Like a Pirate Day an international phenomenon? What about Jasper Fforde?

Q. OK, I see your point, and I'll even forgive you for putting four questions in an answer.

A. And I'll forgive you for not asking a question again.

A. Technically speaking, the term for the type of fog in question is radiation fog. It forms at night under a clear sky when cool air pools in low-lying areas. As Autumn approaches, the temperature in the low-lying areas is more likely to get to within five degrees Fahrenheit (2.8 degrees Celsius) of the dewpoint at night and fog forms.

Q. Radiation? Does that mean we'll need Geiger counters and those bulky suits like they wear in nuclear power plants?

A. No. We're talking about radiation, not radioactivity. Heat radiates from the ground when air cools. If there are no clouds, heat radiates into space and ground fog can form. If it's cloudy, some of the heat gets trapped by the clouds and no ground fog forms.

Q. How deep does ground fog get?

A. It can be very shallow sometimes, not even up to your knees. At other times it can cover a house.

Q. When does ground fog become just plain old fog?

A. Ground fog covers less than 60% of the sky and doesn't extend to the base of any overhead clouds. Most people think of ground fog as being rather shallow, as shown in the photo. "Regular" fog is usually much deeper, more widespread and more of a hazard to drivers and pilots.

Q. Is it dangerous?

A. It can be if it forms over a road and obscures road markings or is deep enough to hide other cars. But even off the road it could be dangerous. If it's thick, it could be hiding the infamous Bugblatter Beast of Traal!

Q. But isn't the infamous Bugblatter Beast of Traal so stupid it assumes if you can't see it, it can't see you?

A. Well, yes, so it's not much of a danger unless you happen to stumble over one. I've heard they get quite annoyed about that.

Q. How do you grind fog?

A. All right, now you're just being silly.

Q. Why does the porridge bird lay its eggs in the air?

A. Really. Stop!

I still think Boring, OR is a good site for Ground Fog Day, but I wasn't there for the 2009 event (such as it is - might've been just me prowling the byways of Boring alone looking for mist).

It turns out that Ground Fog Day 2009 also coincided with the last day of Faerieworlds. The Faerieworlds Summer Celebration was held at Mt. Pisgah Arboretum in the Howard Buford Recreation Area, a Lane County park, just to the southeast of Eugene, Oregon. 2009 was the first year they offered onsite camping, which gave me the opportunity to see some of the later activities instead of heading to Eugene and a motel room or driving two and a half hours to get home.

The area is along the Willamette River, so it's low-lying and might have good ground fog possibilities. Of course, that meant getting out of bed at an awfully early hour after being up late Saturday night.

In 2011, August 2nd is on a Tuesday. I hope the good people of Boring are prepared for all the excitement.

Mt. Pisgah oak savanna Flickr photo by drcornelius used under Creative Commons 2.0 license.

I took a thermometer with me to Faerieworlds in 2009 just to keep track of morning temperatures. At 7 a.m. on August 2, the temperature was 70 degrees Fahrenheit. 7 a.m. at that time of year is often the coolest part of the day. It's also too warm for ground fog. I was up before six for a while and did not see any ground fog.

There were six (or is it seven?) more weeks of summer.

I doubt there was any ground fog in Boring, OR either. The area had been going through quite a heat wave, with some cities and towns in the Pacific Northwest breaking or tying their all-time high temperatures.

The morning temperature on August 3, 2009 was a more normal 57, but that still didn't produce any ground fog.

In 2010, August 2nd was on Monday and I stayed over at Faerieworlds on Sunday night. The days were much cooler and nights got a bit nippy, especially on Sunday night/Monday morning when no clouds formed. I don't know how cold it was because I didn't bring a thermometer. Conditions seemed much better for ground fog forming. My tent was maybe 100 feet north of the Willamette River in a field, another good condition. Yet there was no ground fog that I could see, so it looks like we will have another six or seven weeks of Summer. We'll see. While we have had a couple of hot spells in the Pacific Northwest, overall temperatures have been averaging a bit below normal since Spring.

Q. How is Ground Fog Day celebrated?

A. On August 2, people head out to be at the locally designated Ground Fog Day site by sunrise.

Q. By sunrise? You mean I'd have to get out of bed that early?

A. Um, yeah. Ground fog usually dissipates soon after the sun hits it.

Q. You're kidding, right?

A. Well, um, let's see...you could party all night the night before and then go out to the site.

Q. OK, that might work. So you go out to wherever the site is. Then what?

A. This is where it gets a little different from Groundhog Day. The big thing on February 2 is the shadow. If the groundhog sees his shadow, there's going to be six more weeks of Winter. With Ground Fog Day, the big thing is the ground fog (duh!). But if you see ground fog, that doesn't mean six more weeks of Summer. It means an early Autumn because the ground fog and Autumn are both associated with cooler weather.

Q. Don't you mean an early Fall?

A. That depends on how many Fog Cutters you had partying all night.

Q. So you go out, don't see any ground fog and there's going to be six (or seven) more weeks of Summer. Then what do you do?

A. Keep on partying if you're up to it, or go home and Autumn, er, fall into bed knowing there's more bikini weather ahead. Or so you hope.

Q. On the other hand, you go out, you see ground fog and that says there's going to be an early Autumn. What do you do then?

A. Keep on partying like crazy because you know time is running short.

Q. So this is just an excuse to party, right?

A. You seem to be catching on.

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