At what temperature do we begin to release mist through the mouth?

  • The fog is produced due to the exhalation of water from our body
  • The cold helps this process to occur, but it is not always the case
Image: iStock

The cold comes at the least thoughtful moment and that is why we have to put aside our obligations. Despite the outside weather, our daily work forces us to get warm and try to keep ourselves at the best temperature so that nothing stops us. However, there are effects that cannot be avoided at these temperatures. Having a red nose, purple hands or expelling mist through the mouth can be some of the effects generated by the low temperature or not?

If we focus on the ability to expel fog we have to know that this occurs due to the exhalation of water from our body. Everyone knows that we breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. It is not uncommon to think that if our body is made up of 60% water, we also expel some of it. These water molecules condense when they come into contact with colder air, which is known as dew point, and in this way the mist is born.

The cold helps this condensation process to occur but it is the reality that causes it. Obviously it is easy to believe that it is more usual to be able to generate fog during a cold day since the humidity is higher at those temperatures, but this fact is not always true.

Even if it's a hot day, if the humidity level is high, you can also see how we generate mist through the mouth. The higher the humidity of the air, the greater its saturation which increases the dew point and what causes us to see fog coming out of our mouth. For this same reason, if the outside weather is dry but cold, we most likely cannot see our breath.