Dense Fog — Grand Valley, Colorado

2024-12-28 · Grand Valley, Colorado

Event narrative

Around 3AM local time, the KGJT ASOS at the Grand Junction Regional Airport began reporting visibilities of 1/4 mile or less. Additionally, satellite imagery indicated that this dense fog was more than localized, spreading throughout the Grand Valley. As the sun rose, road cameras provided by the Colorado Department of Transportation allowed for visual confirmation of the extent of dense fog, particularly along Interstate 70. This fog lingered well into the daylight hours thanks to a combination of already low sun angle and high clouds blocking much of the available light. No reports of injuries, damages, or fatalities were received.

Wider weather episode

The unsettled pattern that characterized the last week of the month of December brought widespread precipitation to eastern Utah and western Colorado with regularity. This precipitation created pools of rich low level moisture trapped in the lower elevation valleys across the region. As skies cleared and temperatures cooled each night, dense fog then developed in each of these valleys, often widespread. Thanks to the low sun angle, this fog would linger well into the daylight hours before finally lifting.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1226693. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.