Dense fog causes travel headaches on Christmas Eve in Pittsburgh

Thick fog blanketing Western Pennsylvania prompted flight cancellations and driving warnings, and air travel around the country continued to be affected Christmas morning.

A dense fog advisory was extended until noon Wednesday for Allegheny, Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer counties.

Visibility was close to zero in some parts of the region Tuesday night.

With the fog expected to persist into Christmas morning in some areas, we have issued a Dense Fog Advisory through 10 AM tomorrow. If driving, slow down and use low beam headlights. pic.twitter.com/joqZzn2u3I

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) December 24, 2019

As of 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, at least 17 Eve flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from Pittsburgh International Airport had been canceled, FlightView’s flight tracking data show.

Five departing flights and one arriving flight were cancelled Tuesday morning at Pittsburgh International, according to the airport’s website.

Weather-related disruptions and delays were reported around the country.

At Chicago’s two international airports, low visibility canceled more than 160 flights Tuesday morning, and the Federal Aviation Administration briefly grounded flights at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

In Pittsburgh, the fog is expected to intensify after midnight.

Wednesday’s forecast calls for partly cloudy Christmas Day with a high of 50 degrees and low in the high 30s.

Current conditions at i79 and I76 via @511PAPittsburgh . Take it slow! pic.twitter.com/7shHD402aT

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) December 24, 2019