Freezing fog makes driving difficult for people in large parts of the US as country reels under severe winter
Freezing fog is a phenomenon where tiny water droplets freeze on coming into contact with surfaces, as temperature is below the freezing point.
Large parts of the United States have come under the grip of freezing fog – a phenomenon where droplets formed by fog can freeze instantaneously due to surface temperatures being below zero.
According to Newsweek, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued warnings about freezing fog for several cities in Maryland, North Carolina, Washington, DC, and Virginia this past Sunday.
As per the NWS’ website, freezing fog can also lead to the formation of black ice on roadways, which is hard to spot. This could make driving very risky as the roads can get slippery. It can also cause danger to flights if thin sheets of ice envelope the plane.
On Sunday, the NWS warned of visibility being restricted to “one quarter mile or less.” The advisory was in effect only till midday, but there was no respite from cold temperatures in the remainder of the day or on the following days. On Sunday itself, the NWS also warned of “harsh conditions” in states like Alaska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, with heavy snowfall expected to affect these areas.
Winter proving harsh for US residents
Winter is at its peak and creating problems for people in the US. As per Newsweek, around 4,000 flights from within or out of the US have been delayed. Also, 550 flights had to be cancelled.
As many as 18 million people live in the regions that come under the warnings issued by the NWS. To add to the woes of the winter, there are also floods expected to trouble people in states such as Washington and Oregon.
According to the Weather Channel, there will not be a let-up in the low temperatures being seen across the US. There are multiple clipper systems that are moving through the landscape of the country and sending temperatures diving. These clipper systems originate in the Arctic zone and make their way to the continental US.
The Northern Plains and Upper Midwest region will experience a steady stream of snowfall. The Great Lakes region could find itself engulfed by another clipper system that will bring more snowfall.
Another clipper system will move from the Midwest to the Northeast on Wednesday and Thursday. There will be no respite from cold weather in the coming days, the forecast suggests.
FAQs
What is freezing fog?
Freezing fog is a phenomenon where the droplets of water from fog freeze due to surface temperatures being below freezing point.
Which states featured in the weather alert for freezing fog on Sunday?
States that were given a weather advisory for freezing fog were Maryland, North Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.
Where do the clipper systems originate?
Most of them originate in the Arctic region before moving south into the United States.
