The first of the two types of heat important to condensation is latent heat. Water molecules gain latent heat as a result of evaporation, or the changing of liquid to gas. When water evaporates, the molecules gain 600 calories per gram of latent heat. During condensation, the changing of gas to a liquid, the latent heat is released into the air.
As the condensation process continues and latent heat is released into the air, it becomes sensible heat. Sensible heat changes the temperature, up or down, of the air around it. If the temperature is raised, this is considered a positive heat "flux"; if it cools, it is a negative heat "flux." During condensation, when latent heat is released, it warms the air around the water molecules. Because of this, the air affected by sensible heat is lighter than the surrounding air and subsequently rises. Warm, rising air is the basis for storms.
As the water molecules shoot around the air, they are too light to form a bond with each other, which would result in water droplets. Because of this, for condensation to occur, there needs to be condensation nuclei. These are tiny, binding particles that the water molecules cling to, forming water droplets. Sea salt is a good example of condensation nuclei.
For condensation to occur, the surrounding air must be at what is called its "saturation point." There are two ways that air becomes saturated. The first is through moistening the air via the evaporation process. The second way air can become saturated is when the air comes into contact with either a cooler surface or uplifted cooler air, which in turn brings the temperature to its dew point. This is the time air cannot hold all of its water vapor, so it condenses into a liquid.