Dense Fog — Eastern Uinta Basin, Utah

2026-01-02 · Eastern Uinta Basin, Utah

Event narrative

Dense fog developed in the Uinta Basin throughout the morning of January 2. The KVEL ASOS at the Vernal Regional Airport reported multiple periods of reduced visibility due to freezing during the morning. Patchy dense fog developed early in the morning, reducing visibility to 1/4 mile for about an hour before weakening. Visibilities dropped below 1/4 mile after sunrise, lasting about two hours before fog dissipated entirely. No reports of injuries, damages, or fatalities were received.

Wider weather episode

A deep Pacific trough brought moist southwesterly flow to much of the western CONUS on January 1. A weak upper-level jet streak arrived in coincidence with the surge of moisture, prompting widespread precipitation in eastern Utah throughout the morning of the 1st. Strong cold air advection behind the storms rapidly saturated valleys, and areas of dense fog developed during the afternoon and lasting through the morning of January 2.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1309211. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.