Why fog is hard to predict
Humidity alone isn't enough. Wind alone isn't enough. Cloud cover alone isn't enough. Photogenic valley fog requires several conditions to line up at once, and most weather apps don't read them together.
Dew Point Depression
When air temperature and dew point converge below 2°C, the air is near saturation. This is the single strongest fog predictor and the first thing FogCast checks.
Wind Speed
Fog needs calm air. Below 5 km/h is ideal. Above 15 km/h, fog disperses before it can pool in the valley. A standard weather app won't flag this combination.
Overnight Sky Clarity
Clear overnight skies let the ground cool rapidly, pushing surface temperatures toward the dew point. Counterintuitively, clouds overnight suppress radiation fog.
Temperature Trend
FogCast reads the overnight temperature arc. If temps are converging toward the dew point hour by hour, fog probability increases significantly by pre-dawn.
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Fog photography at Mount Tamalpais
Mount Tamalpais rises 785 meters above Marin County and sits directly in the path of Pacific marine layer, making it one of the best elevated fog photography vantage points in the Bay Area. On heavy fog days the summit sits above the cloud ceiling with the Golden Gate, Bay Bridge, and San Francisco skyline visible as islands emerging from a white sea below.
The East Peak summit and the nearby Rock Spring area offer the most dramatic above-fog views. The Gardner Lookout fire tower at the summit is a classic foreground subject with the fog-filled bay behind it. When fog is at mid-elevation, the trails through the redwood forest on the mountain's flanks take on an otherworldly quality as mist moves through the canopy.
Summer is the primary fog season, matching the marine layer patterns of the broader Bay Area. Fog typically builds from the coast in the afternoon, fills the bay overnight, and burns back out through the Golden Gate by midday. The summit is best visited just before sunrise to catch fog at its densest before clearing begins.
Frequently asked
Can I check FogCast on the website?
This page shows a preview of current conditions, including humidity, wind, temperature, and dew point. The full FogCast score, 7-day outlook, push notifications, and best shooting windows are available exclusively in the LightCast app for iOS.
Is FogCast free?
The current conditions preview on this page is free, no account needed. The full FogCast tool is in the LightCast Suite iOS app, which includes a 7-day free trial. After the trial it's $2.99/month, cancel anytime in the App Store.
Why use FogCast instead of checking humidity?
Humidity alone doesn't tell you whether photogenic fog is likely. High humidity with strong wind produces no fog at all. FogCast combines dew point depression, wind speed, overnight sky clarity, temperature trend, and visibility into a single score built specifically for fog photography planning.
What is FogCast's scoring scale?
FogCast scores fog conditions from 0 to 100. A score of 75 or above indicates dense fog is expected. 55 to 74 means fog is likely and worth chasing. 35 to 54 suggests patchy mist is possible. Below 35, conditions are unlikely to produce photogenic fog. The full score is available in the LightCast app.