Wisconsin, 2001

Dense Fog in Wisconsin, December 2, 2001

December 2, 2001 · NWS MKX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Light winds, abundant low-level moisture, and clear skies led to the formation of dense fog which reduced visibilities to 1/8 to 1/4 mile. Several vehicle accidents were noted, and airplane traffice was delayed.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MKX wrote it up.

Light winds, abundant low-level moisture, and clear skies led to the formation of dense fog which reduced visibilities to 1/8 to 1/4 mile. Several vehicle accidents were noted, and airplane traffice was delayed.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 1, 8:43 PM CST, 5 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 1, 8:43 PM CST, 5 hours 47 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
843 PM CST SAT DEC 1 2001

FCST UPDATED FOR ST DECK XPNDG AS IT MOVES N INTO CWA ATTM. 18Z
MESOETA IS NOW INDICATING MORE LO LVL RH THAN WAS 12Z RUN BUT STILL
IS NOT CATCHING THIS FEATURE VERY WELL. AREAS OF LGT FOG ALSO
BEGINNING TO DVLP WITH THE WAA AND LGTR SFC WNDS.

.MKX...NONE.

0...0...0...0...0...0

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.

Dense Fog, Sauk

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Sauk forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.427, -89.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Columbia

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Columbia forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.467, -89.334 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Dodge

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Dodge forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.416, -88.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Washington

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.369, -88.231 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Iowa

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Iowa forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.001, -90.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Dane

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Dane forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.067, -89.418 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Jefferson

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.021, -88.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Waukesha

When
December 2, 2:30 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Waukesha forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Dense Fog
Fog reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less, filed where it caused accidents or disruption.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, December 2001

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5275554, 5275555, 5275597, 5275598, 5275599, 5275600, 5275601, 5275602.