New Orleans is in for a strange and potentially dangerous weather event this weekend, just as thousands of visitors flood the city for Super Bowl celebrations. A dense, blinding fog—known as ‘superfog’—is expected to roll in, making driving hazardous and possibly causing travel delays.
Superfog is not your typical morning mist. This rare weather event happens when thick smoke from fires combines with humid air, creating a soupy fog so dense that visibility can drop to almost nothing. If you’ve ever driven through heavy fog, imagine that, but worse—headlights barely help, and you can’t see more than a few feet in front of you.
How Bad Will It Get?
The National Weather Service has already warned that superfog could be a big issue, especially during the early morning hours. The problem is being caused by a marsh fire in St. Charles Parish, which has been sending thick smoke into the air. With warm and humid conditions expected throughout the weekend, that smoke could mix with moisture to form superfog, reducing visibility to dangerous levels.
If you’re heading out early in the morning, especially on highways or near the fire zones, you’ll want to be extra careful. Roads could be nearly impossible to see, and accidents can happen fast when drivers don’t realize just how bad visibility is until it’s too late.
What’s the Forecast for Super Bowl Weekend?
The weather in New Orleans will be warm and humid, but that’s part of what’s making the superfog problem worse.
- Friday: Morning fog expected, then clearing later in the day with highs near 80°F.
- Saturday: More morning fog, then warm and humid with a high of 79°F.
- Sunday (Super Bowl Day!): Mostly cloudy with a few showers and a high of 82°F. Fog could still be a problem in the early morning.
- Monday: A little cooler with a high of 74°F, but still humid.
Why Is Superfog Such a Big Deal?
Superfog isn’t just annoying—it’s dangerous. Since it’s made up of both smoke and moisture, it’s much thicker than regular fog, and headlights don’t cut through it the same way. It can appear suddenly and linger for hours, creating near-zero visibility on highways.
This is especially concerning for a busy weekend like this one. With so many visitors in town for Super Bowl festivities, traffic will already be a challenge. Add in superfog, and you have the perfect recipe for accidents and major slowdowns.
How to Stay Safe if You’re Driving
- Slow down. It might feel unnecessary at first, but superfog can get dangerously thick in seconds. Reducing your speed can prevent accidents.
- Use low-beam headlights. High beams will only reflect off the fog and make visibility worse. Stick to low beams and fog lights if your car has them.
- Leave extra space between cars. You never know when the car in front of you might have to stop suddenly.
- Check for travel delays. If you’re flying in or out of New Orleans, keep an eye on flight schedules in case of fog-related delays.
- Stay updated on weather alerts. Superfog can develop quickly, so check the forecast before heading out.
Final Thoughts
New Orleans has seen its share of unpredictable weather, but superfog is one of the stranger—and more dangerous—phenomena. With thousands of people in town for Super Bowl celebrations, the last thing anyone needs is a traffic nightmare caused by thick, blinding fog.
The best thing you can do is be prepared. If you’re planning to drive early in the morning, take it slow, stay alert, and give yourself extra time to get where you need to go. The fog will clear up as the sun rises, but until then, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
