Coimbatore: The city was cloaked in mist in the past three nights, especially between 9pm and 12am.
Weathermen attributed the untimely mist to the encountering of humid easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal and cold northerly winds, causing moisture to condense into droplets.
They warned against riding through the mist unnecessarily, as it gets dense when it comes in contact with smoke, vehicular pollution or dust particles.
Many parts of the city such as Gandhipuram flyover, Avinashi flyover and Valankulam bridge were enveloped in mist on Tuesday and Wednesday night.
While water droplets covered the vehicles, the mist was not dense enough to affect the vehicular visibility.
Pointing out that the northeast monsoon wind has begun entering the district, Mahesh Palawat, meteorologist, Skymet Weather Services, says, “Mist forms when the moisture in the humid wind from the Bay of Bengal condenses it. This occurs only when there is no rain.”
The mist, says D Balachandran, deputy director general of meteorology, becomes more greyish or thicker when it comes into contact with dust particles or smoke. “There won’t be mist when rain begins to lash, as it would wash away all the dust particles in the air.”
The district has been receiving monsoon showers since Monday, but only in the early hours of the day. The days remain slightly cloudy and humid.
While the mist is not dense enough to affect the motorists’ visibility, experts have advised against riding through it. “The humid moisture bearing wind condenses only when it crosses extremely cold wind. It can give joggers and cyclists nose blocks and even cold,” said a doctor with the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital.