Dew vs. Frost — What's the Difference?

Water droplets formed by condensation.

Frozen dew or vapor.

A sign of atmospheric moisture.

Ice crystals on surfaces.

The result of air cooling to the dew point.

Sublimation upon exposure to the sun.

Condensed moisture.

A sign of freezing temperatures.

A natural source of water for plants.

Potentially damaging to plants.

Dew is water in the form of droplets that appears on thin, exposed objects in the morning or evening due to condensation. As the exposed surface cools by radiating its heat, atmospheric moisture condenses at a rate greater than that at which it can evaporate, resulting in the formation of water droplets.When temperatures are low enough, dew takes the form of ice; this form is called frost.

Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) to ice (a solid) as the water vapor reaches the freezing point. In temperate climates, it most commonly appears on surfaces near the ground as fragile white crystals; in cold climates, it occurs in a greater variety of forms.

Water droplets condensed from the air, usually at night, onto cool surfaces.

A deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground or other surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing

Something moist, fresh, pure, or renewing

Cover (something) with or as if with frost; freeze

Moisture, as in the form of tears or perspiration, that appears in small drops.

Decorate (a cake or biscuit) with icing

To wet with or as if with dew.

A deposit of minute ice crystals formed when water vapor condenses at a temperature below freezing.

(uncountable) Any moisture from the atmosphere condensed by cool bodies upon their surfaces.

A period of weather when such deposits form.

(uncountable) Moisture in the air that settles on plants, etc in the morning or evening, resulting in drops.

A cold manner or period of disaffection

An instance of such moisture settling on plants, etc.

To cover with frost.

(figurative) Anything that falls lightly and in a refreshing manner.

To damage or kill by frost.

(figurative) An emblem of morning, or fresh vigour.

To cover (glass, for example) with a roughened or speckled decorative surface.

To wet with, or as if with, dew; to moisten.

To cover or decorate with icing

Moisture from the atmosphere condensed by cool bodies upon their surfaces, particularly at night.

To bleach or lighten the color of (hair) with dye so that some but not all strands are changed in color.

Figuratively, anything which falls lightly and in a refreshing manner.

(Slang) To anger or upset

An emblem of morning, or fresh vigor.

To become covered with frost

To wet with dew or as with dew; to bedew; to moisten; as with dew.

A cover of minute ice crystals on objects that are exposed to the air. Frost is formed by the same process as dew, except that the temperature of the frosted object is below freezing.

Same as Due, or Duty.

The cold weather that causes these ice crystals to form.

Water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air;

(figurative) Coldness or insensibility; severity or rigidity of character.

(obsolete) The act of freezing; the congelation of water or other liquid.

A shade of white, like that of frost.

A disappointment; a cheat.

(television) A kind of light diffuser.

(transitive) To cover with frost.

(intransitive) To become covered with frost.

(transitive) To coat (something, e.g. a cake) with icing to resemble frost.

To anger or annoy.

(transitive) To sharpen (the points of a horse's shoe) to prevent it from slipping on ice.

(transitive) To bleach individual strands of hair while leaving adjacent strands untouched.

The act of freezing; - applied chiefly to the congelation of water; congelation of fluids.

The state or temperature of the air which occasions congelation, or the freezing of water; severe cold or freezing weather.

Frozen dew; - called also hoarfrost or white frost.

Coldness or insensibility; severity or rigidity of character.

To injure by frost; to freeze, as plants.

To cover with hoarfrost; to produce a surface resembling frost upon, as upon cake, metals, or glass; as, glass may be frosted by exposure to hydrofluoric acid.

To roughen or sharpen, as the nail heads or calks of horseshoes, so as to fit them for frosty weather.

Ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)

Weather cold enough to cause freezing

The formation of frost or ice on a surface

United States poet famous for his lyrical poems on country life in New England (1874-1963)

Decorate with frosting;

Provide with a rough or speckled surface or appearance;

Cover with frost;

Damage by frost;

Both typically form overnight when temperatures drop, but frost requires colder conditions below the freezing point.

Dew is water vapor that has condensed into liquid form on cool surfaces near the ground, typically seen in the morning.

Covering plants overnight with fabric or using frost cloths can help protect them from freeze damage.

The dew point is the temperature at which air becomes saturated with moisture and dew begins to form.

Frost occurs when water vapor freezes into ice crystals on surfaces, often visible on cold mornings as a white, crystalline layer.

Dew forms through condensation when the temperature drops to the dew point, while frost forms when the temperature drops below freezing, causing water vapor to freeze.

Frost can cause freeze damage to sensitive plants by forming ice within their tissues, disrupting water flow and causing cells to burst.

Temperature, humidity, and surface conditions are critical factors in the formation of both dew and frost.

Yes, frost can form even if air temperatures are slightly above freezing due to the cooling effect of clear skies on surface temperatures.

Dew can make surfaces slippery, while frost, especially on roads and windshields, can reduce visibility and traction, requiring caution.

The presence of dew suggests moderate overnight temperatures and high humidity, while frost indicates a drop below freezing, often signaling clear skies and calm conditions.

Dew provides additional moisture to plants, especially in arid environments, helping to sustain them.

Wind can disrupt the formation of dew and frost by mixing air layers, but calm conditions favor their development.

Yes, there are several types of frost, including hoarfrost, which forms in clear, calm conditions, and black frost, which occurs when vegetation freezes without visible ice crystals forming.

In some arid regions, dew collection systems are used to condense and collect water as a supplemental source.