South Okanagan residents wake up in a rare fog

PENTICTON – The South Okanagan experienced a rare weather event this morning, as heavy fog enveloped some areas.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Matt MacDonald says thick fog created soup-like visibility conditions in the South Okanagan between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. this morning, April 18.

Fog conditions such as those experienced this morning are rare, especially for places like the Okanagan, which is not known for foggy conditions.

“The foggiest month of the year in Penticton is February, with a four per cent chance of fog developing. In April, it drops to a half per cent,” he says.

MacDonald says conditions were ripe for fog conditions following showers that fell last night creating humid conditions. Light winds allow the humid conditions to sit close to the ground as a layer, creating the fog.

Visisbility at the Penticton Regional Airport was limited to a quarter mile during the fog this morning.

MacDonald says winds picked up around 8:30 a.m. which allowed the fog layer to disperse.

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