Dense Fog — Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin, Colorado

2024-12-27 · Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin, Colorado

Event narrative

As the sun began to rise, road cameras provided by the Colorado Department of Transportation began showing areas of dense fog along US Highway 50 between Olathe and Montrose, CO. The KMTJ ASOS did not record visibilities below 1/2 mile, but the visual confirmation of widespread dense fog, along with support from satellite imagery, warranted a dense fog advisory. No reports of injuries, damages, or fatalities were received.

Wider weather episode

Several winter storms passed through eastern Utah and western Colorado during the last week of 2024, bringing widespread precipitation in the form of rain and snow to the region. Each system reinforced areas of rich low level moisture trapped in lower elevation valleys across western Colorado. With colder temperatures and clearing skies in the wake of each wave, the rich low level moisture condensed in dense fog that lingered well into the daylight hours before finally lifting.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1226691. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.