Why does the road look blurry in summer?

With this summer’s heat waves, many drivers and pedestrians may have been able to “see” waves coming out of the ground due to the extreme temperature, making the landscape in the distance look blurry or that a mirage is present. For drivers, this is a common scene on an open road where you can see fairly far off in the distance. Even when no heat wave is occurring, this visual phenemaon can take place. So, let’s dive into what we are seeing.

What causes the heat wave effect?

This phenomenon occurs due to the refraction of light. It happens when light passes through two spaces with different refractive indexes, such as the hot air above a hot space. Heat waves often accompany high humidity. This phenomenon is similar to when a straw is placed in a glass of water; when looking at the glass from the front, the brain perceives the straw as bent or not in the correct position, even though everything the shape of the straw remains unchanged.

The heat wave effect is caused by a change in light waves, which first pass through a mass of cold air and then through warm air, creating a bouncing effect on the surface. This occurs because air has different densities when it is cold versus when it is hot. Warm air, being less dense, rises to cool down while cold air sinks. The combination of warm and cold air creates “vibrations,” resulting in refracted and wavy images.

This effect is common in the summer when the sun heats up the asphalt. However, these high temperatures can potentially damage your car in the long run. Heat can harm various essential components of your car, so it’s important to pay attention to any warning signs from the system.