Freezing Fog — Spokane Area, Washington

2013-11-27 · Spokane Area, Washington

Event narrative

Freezing fog resulted in icy conditions on an overpass along Interstate 90 in Medical Lake. A pickup truck heading eastbound was driving too fast for the conditions and lost control. The pickup truck proceeded to swerve into the opposite lane triggering a multiple vehicle collision. One of the vehicles involved in the collision was a semi-truck that collided into two other vehicles; one of the vehicles struck by the semi-truck resulted in a fatality; eight other injuries were also reported with the accident. The eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 were blocked just west of the Four Lakes exit for hours.

Wider weather episode

Strong high pressure in place with a moist boundary layer produced prime conditions for radiation fog. Temperatures dipped into the mid-twenties overnight into the early morning hours with dense fog reported. The combination of thick fog and freezing temperatures likely resulted in some riming on area roadways.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 480069. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.