Freezing Fog — Northwest Plateau, New Mexico

2013-11-30 · Northwest Plateau, New Mexico

Direct deaths

Injuries

$50K

Property damage

Event narrative

Two semi trucks collided on Highway 550 south of Bloomfield around 945 am resulting in one driver being killed and the other injured.

Wider weather episode

A strong ridge of high pressure and melting snow cover over the Four Corners region set the stage for a lengthy duration of low clouds and freezing fog. The visibility dropped to one quarter of a mile in much of the area from Gallup north to Farmington and over surrounding areas of Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Two semi-trucks were involved in a fatal crash on Highway 550 south of Bloomfield. Dense fog was believed to be a contributing factor in this fatal crash.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 479025. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.