NEW ORLEANS — Monday morning was a downright mess that left drivers scrambling to get where they needed to go after the Causeway Bridge shut down for a couple of hours. Tragically, it also led to a massive crash on I-55 that proved to be fatal. The reason? Fog. And this wasn't your typical fog. It's something meteorologists call "Super Fog." With wildfires and marsh fires burning in the area, plus an increase in atmospheric moisture, a recipe for a commuting headache came in typical Monday morning fashion.
Basically, the fog was so dense Monday because of the wildfire smoke and the increase in moisture levels in the atmosphere. The heavy smoke particles in the air act as a medium to allow water vapor to condense on them. All of that smoke and the higher moisture combined to create that "Super Fog." If the smoke weren’t there from the wildfires, the fog wouldn’t be as bad as it was this morning.
The question is, will this fog happen again on Tuesday morning? The short answer is yes. The ingredients are there: high moisture content and smoke particles from the fires. Plus, the winds will still be fairly calm tomorrow morning. This can create a foggy commute on both the north and south shores of Lake Pontchartrain as our prevailing winds will be from the east-southeast. This can push the fog north and west, blanketing the Northshore and Southshore tomorrow morning.
Winds will be increasing by late Tuesday, which helps to prevent fog by mixing the air more efficiently. Because wind speeds will be higher starting Wednesday, mornings should not be as foggy the rest of the week.
Since there will likely be one more day of thick fog on Tuesday morning, remember to drive carefully, use your vehicle's low beams, slow down, and give yourself some extra time because a safe trip is more important than anything.
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