Why is it so foggy in Milwaukee this week?
Drew DawsonFog is once again creating poor visibility for the morning commute in the Milwaukee area.
For the second day in a row, the National Weather Service has issued a dense fog advisory. The advisory is in effect until noon. During this time, visibility could be as low as a quarter mile or less at times, according to the advisory. And it'll probably stick around till the end of the week.
So, why is it so foggy right now? Here's what you need to know.
Why is there such a dense fog right now in Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin?
The warmer air that's hitting the area this week is what's causing the fog, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Taylor Patterson. That air is coming to the area from the Gulf of Mexico. The moisture from that air brought in rain earlier in the week and also developed the fog potential in the area.
Combine that with snowpack that's still on the ground from last week, and that causes the air to be cooled down to saturation.
"That’s why we’re seeing all of this fog at the surface," Patterson said. "We have a very low cloud, very saturated conditions and then that cooling effect that just keeps condensation kind of like a glass of ice water that gets that condensation on the outside. We’re seeing that with the atmosphere at the moment."
More:How does Lake Michigan affect the weather in Milwaukee?
How long is the fog expected to stick around?
The dense fog advisory issued this morning will remain in affect until noon. However, fog is expected to linger through Friday morning, Patterson said. Rainfall today and into tomorrow is expected to help reduce the fog tomorrow.
"We have a warm frontal feature that’s coming through the area and that’s going to take all of that saturation, form it into rain drops and allow that atmosphere to clear out a little bit," Patterson said. "Kind of like rising off your glass of condensation."
This also depends on how much snowpack remains. Patterson said that if there is still snow on the ground after the rain clears out tomorrow afternoon, there may be fog concerns for Friday evening and into Saturday morning.
How to drive in foggy conditions:
The National Weather Service recommends two things: slowing down on the road and using your low beams in your car.
"If another driver sees something and you can’t see, you have to be able to slow down enough to not cause any kind of accidents on freeways," Patterson said. "And using those low beams will give you a little less reflection back into your face. Those are the main things: Slow down, be safe and be visible."
Drew Dawson can be reached at ddawson@jrn.com or 262-289-1324.