Winter is coming…With it will come cold weather, rain and maybe snow. Overall, winter is set to be gloomy, damp and cold. Something that also happens in the winter is fog. Usually this phenomenon is harmless as most of us are used to it.
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However, news of a superfog happening in Louisiana, USA, which caused havoc has made its way to us. The images of it are very impressive and quite scary. This led us to wonder, what is superfog and can it happen in the UK?
What is superfog?
The Scotsman reports on the incident which occurred in Louisiana and explains that the term is not ‘used by the UK Met Office’. The American National Weather Service explains how the phenomenon occurs.
superfog 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.
NBC News explains that the conditions favorable to superfog are ‘unusual’ but that they tend to happen more frequently in the South of the United States as ‘marsh fires, calm winds and humidity can combine to create thick veils of fog.’
Can superfog happen in the UK?
Fog is not stranger to the UK, especially in the winter. However, not all fogs are created equal. A very common form of it is called radiation fog. The Scotsman explains that it forms ‘during calm and clear days in winter.’
Fogs can be quite scenic but they can also create some dangers. That is why people who learn how to drive need to be taught about the procedure to follow when fog happens.
Concerning superfog, it is not impossible for it to happen in the UK if all the conditions for it are gathered. If it does, which we hope it won’t, it is crucial to remember not to stop on the road. Remember that it is better to keep driving slowly than to completely stop as the lack of visibility will cause vehicles to bump into you.
American weather service advises that when superfog occurs, drivers should ‘pull off to the shoulder or take the nearest exit to surface streets if you are on the interstate and are uncomfortable driving in the dense fog.’
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Sources:
The Scotsman: Superfog: What is the rare weather phenomenon that caused USA car pileup, what other types of fog are there?
NBC News: What is 'superfog'? Deadly conditions behind Louisiana's 158-vehicle pileup explained
