The National Weather Service issued dense fog advisories for 78 counties across Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, warning motorists of near-zero visibility during the morning commute.
Despite the ominous name, radiation fog has nothing to do with nuclear radiation and is not considered a direct health threat. Officials have warned, however, that dense, low-level fog can trap pollution near the ground and worsen air quality.
“If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you,” NWS officials wrote in their warning.
Florida has been dealing with persistent fog for days, starting along the east coast before drifting northwest.
Local news outlets reported a deadly multi-vehicle crash on Wednesday in Jupiter, Fla., involving several cars. A driver from another vehicle was hospitalized, and a 16-year-old child was killed.
Satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed dense fog covering much of the Southeast early Friday, extending into Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Dense fog typically forms overnight when moisture lingers in the air after rain or high humidity. Clear skies and light winds allow the ground to cool rapidly after sunset, releasing heat and creating thick fog near the surface.
Some Georgia residents claimed on social media that the fog smelled unusual.
“We have had foggy mornings for the last week in NE Georgia. And it’s not normal fog, it smells like burning plastic and leaves a residue on our car windows,” one user wrote Thursday, urging Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to investigate.
Radiation fog is common in the Southeast, especially in fall and winter, when longer nights, cooler temperatures and moisture from seasonal storms help thick fog form close to the ground." TP
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