Driving in fog is difficult, but driving in super fog could becomne practically impossible and put drivers in danger.
What is super fog?
Super fog is a combination of heavy fog and thick smoke which could reduce driving visibility to less than 10 feet.
The National Weather Service says the fog “forms when a mixture of smoke and moisture released from damp smoldering organic material such as brush, leaves and trees, mixes with cooler, nearly saturated air.”
(Photo by Campbell Sport)
Super fog forms near marshes, creek beds and drain ditches.
A study from the University of California Riverside said the thickness of a super fog is based on the level of fuel moisture content. If smoke contains high levels of water vapor, it will produce a thicker fog.
Foggy dangers
According to the Federal Highway Administration, fog causes over 38,000 vehicles crashes each year.
In October and November of this year, police say super fog caused two major crashes in Louisiana.
The Associated Press reports super fog caused a 158-vehicle pile on Oct. 27, 2023 that killed seven people. Then on Nov. 7, 2023, another fog event killed one person in another highway crash.
Take a look at the video of the aftermath from the October crash.
In March 2022, we reported that fog caused multiple fatal crashes on I-95 in Volusia County, Florida.
If you need to drive in fog, we have some tips that can help you get to your destination safely.
Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.