Heavy smoke causes fatal crash on I-10 outside New Orleans
At least one person was killed in a series of crashes on Interstate 10 outside New Orleans after thick smoke from a wildfire blanketed the area.
NEW ORLEANS – Accidents reported on Interstate 10 outside of New Orleans Tuesday morning were not the result of super fogbut rather the result of dense smoke in the area due to forest fires burning in the region.
The FOX Forecast Center said the cause of the crashes was updated after reviewing satellite data and discussing the situation with the National Weather Service in New Orleans.
Watch: Thick wildfire smoke blankets I-10 outside New Orleans
Thick smoke from a wildfire significantly reduced visibility on Interstate 10 outside New Orleans Tuesday morning.
Smoke created by the Michoud Fire was trapped by a temperature inversion, which then created dangerous visibility on I-10 Tuesday morning.
The Michoud Fire, which has been burning for nearly a month, has burned approximately 200 acres.
Information on the Michoud fire in Louisiana.
Fog was observed in the area Tuesday morning, but it’s unclear how much fog actually developed with the area of heavy wildfire smoke, according to the FOX Forecast Center. There was little evidence of heavy fog in weather observations or satellite images.
According to FOX 8 New Orleans, a man died after being transported to a local hospital Tuesday after being involved in one of the crashes on the highway near Michoud Boulevard. Several injuries were also reported.
The National Weather Service said smoke had mixed out of the area Tuesday morning, but foggy conditions persisted along I-10 between Irish Bayou and exit 246A. The eastbound lanes of I-10 were reopened at Michoud Boulevard just before noon local time.
Visibility in the New Orleans area on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. (FOX Weather)
Hazardous conditions expected to return Wednesday morning
Drivers could find themselves in a similarly dangerous situation Wednesday morning. The NWS said conditions would then be “nearly identical” to Monday night, with smoke once again trapped and there may even be a better chance of fog developing. As a result, hazardous driving conditions could once again develop along I-10 in Orleans Parish and Interstate 12 in St. Tammany Parish.
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This deadly incident occurs two weeks after super fog caused massive pileup on Interstate 55 outside New Orleans which involved 168 vehicles and killed seven people. The highway was closed for several days as crews worked to remove the crumpled vehicles. An inspection was conducted to determine the safety of the road following the accident and resulting fires.