30 car pileup in Saltillo, Mexico amid visibility-limiting dense fog
Foggy conditions may have triggered a pileup involving more than 30 cars in Saltillo, Mexico on Tuesday.
El Tiempo News reports two tractor-trailers were involved in the crash on the highway. No injuries have been reported at this time.
According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sodja, Saltillo had been very foggy all afternoon, with visibility of a 1/4 mile or less being reported since midday in Saltillo.
Serían más 30 vehículos en el choque carambola incluidos dos tráileres en la Autopista #Monterrey #Saltillo reportan elementos de PC
Posted by El Tiempo on Tuesday, December 31, 2019
"It looks like "upslope fog", where warm moist air is being brought from the Gulf of Mexico into the region ahead of an approaching storm system in northwestern Mexico," Sodja said.
Saltillo sits about a mile above sea level Sodja said, so as that moist air rises and cools, it turns into a very dense fog.
Fog can be very hazardous drivers, especially at high speeds, since drivers can't see what's in front of them until it's too late to brake and stop.
Carambola de 30 autos en la carretera de Saltillo, hay decenas de lesionados
Posted by El Tiempo on Tuesday, December 31, 2019
"Dense fog has also been known to cause numerous pile-ups in the central US and can pose the same hazard anywhere dense fog forms," Sodja said.
Typically Saltillo is a pretty arid location in the wintertime, typically receiving around an inch of rain total from December through February according to Sodja.
"Fog is not unheard of because of it's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and exposure to colder storm systems that can occasionally dive into the region from the north during the winter, pulling in Gulf moisture which then condenses in the cooler temperatures and higher elevation," Sodja said.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
