FogCast · Yosemite, CA
Fog Forecast for Yosemite
Know before you drive: FogCast checks the conditions that produce photogenic fog
Reading current conditions…
Photography Forecasts for Any Location Worldwide
Fog photography at Yosemite
Yosemite Valley is one of the most reliable fog photography locations in the western US. The valley sits at roughly 1,200 meters elevation and is surrounded by granite walls that trap cold air overnight. When humidity is high and winds are calm, dense radiation fog pools on the valley floor by pre-dawn and often persists through sunrise, creating layered mist below Half Dome and El Capitan.
The best fog season runs from October through January. Tunnel View and Valley View are the most photographed vantage points for fog, with the mist sitting below the rim and often clearing by 9–10am. Spring can bring lighter morning mist after rain, but fall and early winter produce the densest and most photogenic conditions.
Fog can appear and disappear within minutes. Conditions the evening before are a better predictor than a morning check: if dew point depression is below 2°C and winds are under 10 km/h at sunset, the odds of valley fog by pre-dawn are significantly higher.
Other fog photography locations
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.
Check today's FogCast
What the app shows you
Set a threshold and get a notifications when fog will form. Never check manually again.
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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.
