Virginia, 2012

Dense Fog in Virginia, October 2 to 3, 2012

October 2 to 3, 2012 · NWS LWX · 16 events in 15 counties and zones

Surface high pressure at the surface was wedged up against the Appalachians which led to another evening of clear skies and calm winds. Showers from the previous day caused ground to be moist and therefore fog formed into the morning.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
16

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 LWX wrote it up.

Surface high pressure at the surface was wedged up against the Appalachians which led to another evening of clear skies and calm winds. Showers from the previous day caused ground to be moist and therefore fog formed into the morning.

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 Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 2, 2:28 PM EST, 6 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 2, 2:28 PM EST, 6 hours 47 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 2, 11:43 AM EST, 9 hours 32 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Oct 2, 6:15 PM EST, 3 hours before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.

Dense Fog, Frederick

When
October 2, 9:15 PM EST to October 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Frederick forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
39.195, -78.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Winchester.

Dense Fog, Clarke

When
October 2, 9:15 PM EST to October 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Clarke forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
39.112, -77.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Winchester.

Dense Fog, Shenandoah

When
October 2, 9:15 PM EST to October 3, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Shenandoah forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.858, -78.571 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Winchester, Shenandoah, and Luray.

Dense Fog, Shenandoah

When
October 3, 1:35 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where
Shenandoah forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.858, -78.571 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Shenandoah.

Dense Fog, Augusta

When
October 3, 1:35 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
Where
Augusta forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.109, -78.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Shenandoah.

Dense Fog, Page

When
October 3, 2:15 AM EST to 6:55 AM EST
Where
Page forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.620, -78.484 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Luray.

Dense Fog, Warren

When
October 3, 2:15 AM EST to 6:55 AM EST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.909, -78.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Luray and Winchester.

Dense Fog, Orange

When
October 3, 2:15 AM EST to 6:55 AM EST
Where
Orange forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.246, -78.013 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Orange Airport.

Dense Fog, Loudoun

When
October 3, 2:52 AM EST to 8:39 AM EST
Where
Loudoun forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Dulles International.

Dense Fog, Rappahannock

When
October 3, 3:31 AM EST to 8:15 AM EST
Where
Rappahannock forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.685, -78.159 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Dulles and Charlottesville.

Dense Fog, Albemarle

When
October 3, 5:53 AM EST to 8:30 AM EST
Where
Albemarle forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.029, -78.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Charlottesville.

Dense Fog, Nelson

When
October 3, 5:53 AM EST to 8:30 AM EST
Where
Nelson forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
37.787, -78.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Charolottesville.

Dense Fog, Madison

When
October 3, 5:53 AM EST to 8:30 AM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.414, -78.279 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Charolottesville and Orange Airports.

Dense Fog, Southern Fauquier

When
October 3, 6:15 AM EST to 8:15 AM EST
Where
Southern Fauquier forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.739, -77.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Warrenton-Fauquier Airport.

Dense Fog, Northern Fauquier

When
October 3, 6:15 AM EST to 8:15 AM EST
Where
Northern Fauquier forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.739, -77.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Warrenton-Fauquier Airport.

Dense Fog, Prince William

When
October 3, 6:30 AM EST to 8:40 AM EST
Where
Prince William forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS

Visibility was reported to be around one quarter mile at Manassas.

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 Virginia in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, October 2012

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 417371, 417407, 417409, 417378, 417381, 417389, 417410, 417429, 417400, 417414, 417424, 417428, 417430, 417403, 417406, 417401.