Fog Alerts and When They Occur

Fog can be cumbersome for many, but particularly those operating moving vehicles like cars, trucks, planes and boats. Fog impedes visibility, which can lead to numerous travel accidents, like car crashes. Fortunately, there are notices in place when fog can be tricky.

Fog usually forms when air near the earth’s surface becomes saturated, such as by cooling or with additional moisture. This can occur after a passing rain shower, with wet soil, or with a high dew point. Typically, there are two different advisories primarily used to warn the public about the dangers of fog. These are Dense Fog and Freezing Fog advisories.

Dense Fog Advisories are issued when there’s widespread fog in a given area. Visibilities also are frequently at or below a quarter of a mile when this advisory is issued. When dense fog is forecasted, traveling becomes extremely difficult. Hazards can arise at a moment’s notice, leading to little reaction time and a higher risk for accidents.

Freezing Fog Advisories are issued when fog develops, but surface temperatures are at or below freezing. This ultimately causes the liquid droplets in fog to freeze on any surface, including vehicles and roadways. Visibilities are also often at or below a mile. As such, travel can be very difficult to due the low visibility and the threat for ice. This is why delays can happen at airports as a thin sheet of ice can develop on aircrafts combined with a low field of vision caused by fog.

Be sure to have a way to access weather alerts so fog cannot catch you off guard the next time it develops!

Source: NWS
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