The dense, harmful “thick fog” that induced an enormous car pileup north of New Orleans on Monday was exacerbated by wildfires burning close by, native officers mentioned.
Seven folks had been killed and greater than two dozen others had been injured in crashes involving a minimum of 158 automobiles within the northbound and southbound lanes alongside Interstate 55 in Louisiana. An unusually thick layer of fog was partly in charge for the accidents, which left a miles-long path of charred and charred automobiles.
The low visibility situations had been often known as “tremendous fog,” which types when moisture within the air mixes with smoke from burning brush, leaves and bushes in swamps.
Robust fog can cut back visibility to lower than 10 ft, and in additional extreme instances result in near-zero visibility. According to the National Weather Service.
“Beneath mild wind situations, large fog meanders throughout areas of low terrain similar to stream bottoms or drainage ditches,” the company mentioned, including that dense fog might be extraordinarily harmful when it settles over highways.
Louisiana’s dense fog was heaviest early Monday, and most of it had cleared by that afternoon, although fog warnings remained over a small space of the state by means of Tuesday.
Excessive fog situations are uncommon however happen periodically within the south, the place swamp fires, calm winds and moisture can mix to create a thick veil of fog.
A number of swamp fires had been burning within the space, in keeping with the New Orleans department of the climate service.
Native officers mentioned on Monday that dense fog was “severely affecting” components of the freeway and urged folks to keep away from the realm and watch out when strolling round.
“Don’t cease on the highway when visibility is near zero as this can result in an accident!” the ThEther sHe said the service is in New Orleans. “As a substitute, pull over to the shoulder or take the closest exit onto floor streets if you’re on the freeway and do not feel comfy driving in heavy fog.”
Though each cut back visibility, superfog is totally different from smog, which happens when air air pollution interacts with fog to create hazy situations that may trigger critical well being issues.
Most of Louisiana stays within the grip of extreme drought, making swamp fires extra frequent and thus rising the possibilities of extreme fog situations growing.
