Dense Fog — Dane, Wisconsin

2008-01-05 to 2008-01-07 · Dane, Wisconsin

Wider weather episode

Dense fog covered most of south-central and southeast Wisconsin from Saturday evening through about sunrise of Monday with visibilities of 1/8 to 1/4 mile. At times Sunday afternoon visibilities were reduced to less than 25 yards due to the cooling effect of melting snow. This resulted in a series of multiple-vehicle accidents along roughly a 5-mile stretch on Interstate 90/39 east and southeast of the Madison (Dane Co.) area. Law enforcement officials cited excessive speed for weather conditions as the cause of the accidents. One fatality (indirect death) was reported about 1 mile south of the Interstate 90/39 and STH 12/18 intersectionat about 1420 CST, and another fatality (indirect death) in a crash on Interstate 90/39 in the Civil Town of Blooming Grove at milemarker 146 at about 1516 CST. Altogether, about 100 vehicles were involved and about 50 people were treated at area hospitals for injuries (indirect). Numerous airline flights were canceled at aiports throughout south-central and southeast Wisconsin during the 3-day period of dense fog. Dozens of other vehicle accidents occurred in other counties as well. Meteorologically, the dense fog resulted from an influx of moist, mild air on south winds that substantially melted an existing snowcover. At Milwaukee Mitchell Field, the daily max/min temperatures for the 3 days were 41/25, 52/39, and 63/38, with the snowcover melting from 5 inches to a trace. At Madison Truax Field, the daily max/min temperatures for the 3 days were 39/34, 47/37, and 50/34, with the snowcover melting from 5 inches to 3 inches. The 63 registered at Milwaukee became a new daily record and an all-time January record max temperature for that location.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 78376. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.