Fog has been a frequent visitor in the Southeast thanks to a potent combination of positive daytime highs, rapidly cooling overnight temps and plenty of melting snow.

Weyburn and the surrounding area have battled through reduced visibility and slippery conditions that make roads less than ideal for travel, slowing down many morning commutes. Such conditions were the cause of a multi-vehicle pileup on Wednesday morning near the community of Rouleau.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist, Terri Lang, the source of this fog is the changing season and rapid melting of the snow. 

"There's a lot of moisture sitting around in the low levels because of that melting snow," said Lang. "When the slightly cooler air mixes with all that moisture, that's when the fog happens."

Lang explained that moisture in the air rises to the lower atmosphere during daytime heat and falls back to the ground as fog when it condenses in the cooler night air. The problem with this fog in particular, though, is that it freezes to anything it touches. 

"At night time, temperatures are below freezing and those particles in the air are still liquid. So, when these little liquid droplets run into anything solid that is below freezing, they are going to freeze instantly. That's what makes the roads slippery, and it's why you need to scrape your windshield in the morning," said Lang.

She also clarified a detail related to an old wives' tale. The story goes that when you see fog, it means you will get rain in 90 days. 

"There's no scientific basis for that," dispelled Lang. "So people don't have to worry about that."

Travellers should make a habit of checking the Road Reports Page before their commute, especially before noon when air-humidity levels generally decrease causing fog to disperse. Humid conditions due to snowmelt and freezing overnight temperatures are expected to continue over the next few weeks until the average daily temperatures rise.