In this article, we will talk about the 2o foggiest cities in the US. You can also take a look at the 20 Windiest Cities in the United States.
Foggy weather in the USA varies by region and is influenced by geographical and meteorological factors. In January this year, record levels of fog covered the Lower 48 states. This led to disruptions in flights, vehicle accidents, and delays in school schedules. It had been at least two decades since the United States experienced such dense fog.
A compilation of webcams revealed the fog covered several major cities east of the Rockies, including Nashville, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Dallas, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Chicago. This record-breaking fog outbreak, which persisted for three consecutive days, was primarily due to a storm drawing significant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico over a shallow layer of cooler air left by the Arctic blasts.
Dense fog, as defined by the National Weather Service, reduces visibility to a quarter mile or less for an extended period. Fog is the second leading cause of weather-related aviation accidents, following strong winds. The presence of fog can severely disrupt the operations of the national airspace system, costing up to $200,000 for a single airport. Higher accuracy in forecasting fog events by weather service providers would significantly improve air traffic safety and efficiency.
In 2023, 62% of the year was foggy in many parts of the US, with areas near the sea, like Buffalo, New York, experiencing higher levels of fog. Fog impacts not just the environment but also lifestyles and businesses. Certain companies benefit from weather-related events, including foggy weather. For instance, retailers like The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) often see increased sales as people prepare for adverse weather conditions. The company sells supplies like batteries, generators, and materials needed to prepare homes for bad weather and to repair damage afterward.
Here’s what Madison Investments said about The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) in its Q3 2023 investor letter:
“We updated the sustainable scorecard for The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) and maintained our Above Average Rating. Home Depot’s corporate responsibilities focus on three pillars: focusing on its people, operating sustainably, and strengthening its communities. Home Depot continues to focus on its people by investing billions of dollars in wages, training, and benefit enhancement. The company’s environmental targets include the reduction of direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) emissions by 42% by 2030, as well as a 25% decrease in emissions related to the “use of products sold” (Scope 3 emissions). Both targets are from a 2020 base year.
Separately, The Home Depot Foundation announced that it will invest $6 million in skilled trades training to address the 400,000 job openings across the construction industry. This grant launches a new program that will provide free, skilled trades training and scholarships for veterans and military families.”
Pixabay/Public Domain
Our Methodology
We have compiled a list of the 20 foggiest cities in the US based on the average number of days with fog per year. The data has been sourced from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The 20 foggiest cities in the US have been ranked in ascending order of their average number of foggy days per year.
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20 Foggiest Cities in the US
20. Cleveland, Ohio
Average Number of Days with Fog = 157
Cleveland, Ohio, experiences an average of 157 foggy days each year. The city often finds itself under cloudy skies, which contributes to its ranking among the cloudiest cities in America. Approximately 80% of the sky is typically covered with clouds. Cleveland records around 202 days of heavy cloud cover.
19. St. Louis, Missouri
Average Number of Days with Fog = 158
St. Louis, due to its geographical location, has 158 foggy days annually. The city is usually cloudy during the day, with about 80% cloud cover. St. Louis’s climate is a mix of humid continental and humid subtropical, and it sees around 164 days of cloud cover each year.
18. Atlanta, Georgia
Average Number of Days with Fog = 159
Atlanta, located in Georgia, has a humid subtropical climate. It experiences an average of 159 foggy days per year and around 149 cloudy days, with the sky being about 80% covered. Cloudy days cover 40-60% of the sky, primarily due to high humidity levels in the summer. Despite the frequent fog and clouds, Atlanta enjoys a fair share of sunshine annually.
17. Hartford, Connecticut
Average Number of Days with Fog = 162
Hartford experiences an average of 175 cloudy days annually, with 162 of those days being foggy. The winters in Hartford are cold and snowy, while the summers are hot and humid. The city has a subtropical climate, and during the day, about 80% of the sky is covered with clouds.
16. Nashville, Tennessee
Average Number of Days with Fog = 164
Nashville sees an average of 164 foggy days each year. There are 156 cloudy days when the sky is almost entirely covered. On cloudy days, 40-50% of the sky remains filled with clouds. Nashville’s overall climate is mild throughout the year.
15. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Average Number of Days with Fog = 164
Philadelphia experiences an average of 112 partially cloudy days each year. The city has about 164 foggy days annually, significantly reducing visibility to a quarter-mile. There are around 160 days a year when the sky is 80% covered with clouds. Overall, the climate of Philadelphia is humid.
14. Seattle, Washington
Average Number of Days with Fog = 165
Seattle, located in Washington, records an average of 226 cloudy days each year. Fog is present for about 165 days annually, reducing visibility. Seattle’s overall climate is temperate.
13. Cincinnati, Ohio
Average Number of Days with Fog = 166
Cincinnati experiences 166 foggy days each year. There are 186 days when heavy clouds cover 80% of the sky, and on average, the city has 284 cloudy days annually. The overall climate in Cincinnati is continental/humid.
12. Providence, Rhode Island
Average Number of Days with Fog = 166
Providence, located in Rhode Island, has a humid/continental climate. The city records 166 foggy days each year, with 164 days of significant cloud cover. Partial cloudiness is observed 45% of the year in Providence. The city is among the top 15 foggiest cities in the USA.
11. Columbus, Ohio
Average Number of Days with Fog = 166
Columbus experiences an average of 166 foggy days annually. The city also sees 190 days a year when heavy clouds cover the sky. Columbus has a humid climate, with very hot summers and cold winters.
10. Charlotte, North Carolina
Average Number of Days with Fog = 168
Charlotte, located in North Carolina, records an average of 168 foggy days each year. The city experiences 152 days annually with significant cloud cover. Charlotte’s overall climate is humid, characterized by very hot summers and chilly nights.
9. Buffalo, New York
Average Number of Days with Fog = 174
Buffalo, located in New York, typically experiences an average of 174 foggy days each year. Heavy clouds cover 80-90% of the sky for approximately 208 days. Buffalo’s climate is classified as humid continental, featuring hot and dry summers and colder winters.
8. Indianapolis, Indiana
Average Number of Days with Fog = 175
Indianapolis, situated in Indiana, records an average of 175 foggy days annually. Cloudy skies prevail for 278 days each year. Indianapolis also has a humid continental climate. Indianapolis ranks eighth on our list of the foggiest cities in the USA.
7. Birmingham, Alabama
Average Number of Days with Fog = 178
Birmingham, located in Alabama, has an average of 178 foggy days annually. Partially cloudy skies are observed for 111 days, while around 155 days remain consistently cloudy throughout the year. Birmingham experiences a temperate maritime climate.
6. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Average Number of Days with Fog = 183
Pittsburgh, situated in Pennsylvania, typically sees 183 foggy days each year. Meanwhile, the city experiences around 203 cloudy days. The city ranks sixth on our list of the foggiest cities in America.
5. Richmond, Virginia
Average Number of Days with Fog = 185
Richmond, located in Virginia, experiences an average of 185 foggy days annually. Cloudy skies cover the city for 160 days throughout the year. Richmond’s overall climate is classified as oceanic, similar to a humid subtropical climate.