DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The heat is on, but it may not be quite hot enough yet for heat shimmer; also known as heat haze. This is an optical phenomenon that develops when the air near the ground is heated more than its surrounding environment.
This can happen this time of year on brighter days, at or just above darker surfaces like pavement, roads, rooftops, or even looking at distant objects on the horizon. Remember that darker objects absorb more UV radiation than lighter ones.
Then there is the matter of light and density. The heated air is less dense than the relatively cooler air surrounding it. Now factor in that light travels at a slightly different speed through warm air as opposed to cool air, allowing it to bend, or refract. The end result is a shimmering or wavy appearance of distant objects.
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