Virginia, 2020

Dense Fog in Virginia, January 3 to 4, 2020

January 3 to 4, 2020 · NWS LWX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Light winds beneath a subsidence inversion atop saturated ground led to the formation of fog across Northern Virginia. Visibilities were around a quarter of a mile.

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
  • 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 LWX wrote it up.

Light winds beneath a subsidence inversion atop saturated ground led to the formation of fog across Northern Virginia. Visibilities were around a quarter of a mile.

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, Clarke

When
January 3, 10:00 PM EST to January 4, 6:28 AM EST
Where
Clarke forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
39.112, -77.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Prince William

When
January 3, 10:00 PM EST to January 4, 6:28 AM EST
Where
Prince William forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS

Dense Fog, Northern Fauquier

When
January 3, 10:00 PM EST to January 4, 6:28 AM EST
Where
Northern Fauquier forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
38.739, -77.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Western Loudoun

When
January 3, 10:00 PM EST to January 4, 9:49 AM EST
Where
Western Loudoun forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
39.091, -77.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Eastern Loudoun

When
January 3, 10:00 PM EST to January 4, 8:00 AM EST
Where
Eastern Loudoun forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
39.091, -77.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Frederick

When
January 4, 4:46 AM EST to 9:49 AM EST
Where
Frederick forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
39.195, -78.213 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Fairfax

When
January 4, 5:52 AM EST to 6:28 AM EST
Where
Fairfax forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.841, -77.291 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Dense Fog, Arlington

When
January 4, 5:52 AM EST to 6:28 AM EST
Where
Arlington forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.855, -77.106 (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 Virginia in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, January 2020

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: 874293, 874295, 874297, 874299, 874300, 874447, 874304, 874305.