Meteorologist Samantha Davies

On this Friday as many of us begin our holiday travels; several residents in the Midwest will have to slow down because of the weather. A blanket of dense fog is covering parts of 5 states, reducing visibility to less than ¼ of a mile. This is causing headaches on the roadways, and delaying flights. This is known as advection fog. In a nutshell, fog is simply a cloud that touches the ground.

This type of fog usually occurs when warm moist air moves over a cool surface. Here’s the set-up for today’s fog: Due to the active weather pattern over the past week, snow is covering the Midwest. A warm front moving north through the Midwest is source for the slightly milder air. As the front moves north, light southerly winds will carry this warmer air over the cold snow. The result = dense fog.

If you encounter fog while driving here’s a few tips:

- Turn your lights on, but don't turn on your high beams. They will reflect light back at you, making it harder to see.

- Slow down.

- Leave plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you.
- Use your wipers and defroster to keep your windshield clear.

On another note--- The warm air moving into the Midwest is giving residents there a break from the bitter cold. Temperatures today are above freezing. Highs across the region today are in the upper 30’s and 40’s.

Safe Travels!