Dense Fog in Virginia, December 9, 2015

Name: Dense Fog in Virginia, December 9, 2015
Start: 2015-12-09T05:15
End: 2015-12-09T21:30
Location: Virginia

December 9, 2015 · NWS LWX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

High pressure settling off the Carolina coast resulted in light return flow over the region, increasing moisture levels. Strong subsidence inversion limited any mixing, allowing the fog to persist well into the day.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
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Heat and drought
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Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

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 Dec 9, 3:46 AM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 9, 3:46 AM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 8, 9:39 PM EST, 7 hours 36 minutes 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

7 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.

Dense Fog, Page

When: December 9, 5:15 AM EST to 11:35 AM EST
Where: Page forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 38.620, -78.484 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

LUA reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.

Dense Fog, Orange

When: December 9, 6:35 AM EST to 9:15 PM EST
Where: Orange forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 38.246, -78.013 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

OMH and GVE reported periods of reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less during the day.

Dense Fog, Albemarle

When: December 9, 6:41 AM EST to 10:53 AM EST
Where: Albemarle forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 38.029, -78.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

CHO reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.

Dense Fog, Southern Fauquier

When: December 9, 7:15 AM EST to 10:15 AM EST
Where: Southern Fauquier forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 38.739, -77.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

HWY reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.

Dense Fog, Stafford

When: December 9, 7:15 AM EST to 9:56 AM EST
Where: Stafford forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 38.421, -77.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RMN and NYG reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.

Dense Fog, Culpeper

When: December 9, 8:10 AM EST to 9:30 PM EST
Where: Culpeper forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 38.486, -77.956 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

CJR reported periods of reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less during the day.

Dense Fog, Fairfax

When: December 9, 8:52 AM EST to 10:52 AM EST
Where: Fairfax forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 38.841, -77.291 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

IAD reported reduced visibilities of one quarter mile or less.

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

Every storm in Virginia in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, December 2015

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: 610290, 610283, 610284, 610282, 610285, 610286, 610281.