A dangerously thick “super fog” that caused a devastating vehicle pileup north of New Orleans on Monday was aggravated by nearby wildfires, as confirmed by local authorities.
Tragically, seven individuals lost their lives, and over two dozen more sustained injuries in crashes involving at least 158 vehicles on Louisiana’s Interstate 55. The accidents left behind a trail of mangled and charred vehicles spanning miles. The severity of the crashes was partly attributed to the abnormally dense fog that enveloped the area.
This dense fog, known as “super fog,” occurs when moisture in the air combines with smoke from burning brush, leaves, and trees in marshlands. In these extreme cases, visibility can drop to less than 10 feet, and in the most severe instances, it can become almost non-existent, as stated by the National Weather Service.
According to the National Weather Service, under light wind conditions, super fog can wander through low-lying areas such as creek beds or drainage ditches. When it settles over highways, this thick fog can pose a serious threat to motorists.
The super fog in Louisiana reached its peak thickness early on Monday and began to dissipate by that afternoon, although fog advisories remained in effect for a small section of the state until Tuesday.
While super fog conditions are relatively rare, they do occur periodically in the South, particularly in areas where marsh fires, calm winds, and humidity converge to create these dense fog formations.
The New Orleans branch of the weather service reported that multiple marsh fires were raging in the vicinity.
Local authorities stressed that the dense fog was causing significant disruption along the interstate and urged people to avoid the area and exercise caution when traveling. They emphasized the importance of not stopping on the road if visibility drops significantly, as it could lead to accidents.
According to the weather service in New Orleans, “Instead, pull off to the shoulder or take the nearest exit to surface streets if you are on the interstate and feel uncomfortable driving in dense fog.”
It is important to note that while both smog and super fog reduce visibility, they are distinct phenomena. Smog arises when air pollution interacts with fog, causing hazy and hazardous conditions that can have serious health implications.
Given the prevailing extreme drought in most parts of Louisiana, marsh fires are becoming increasingly frequent, raising the likelihood of super fog conditions developing.
For more information, please refer to the original article published on NBCNews.com.
