SALT LAKE CITY — The same fog and inversion mixture causing visibility issues for Utah drivers forced local prison inmates to be kept indoors Friday due to guards being unable to see them if they went outside.
Weather
Why is this inversion so unusual and what does future hold?
Because of poor visibility conditions, a Level 3 Weather Alert was issued at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City.
There are four alert levels at the prison, with Level 3 meaning the facility's yards, sidewalks and common areas are not visible. A Level 4 would entail zero visibility.
The Utah Department of Corrections said the weather alert protocols are put in place for the safety of the prison's inmates and staff.
As of 2 p.m., the alert had been downgraded to a Level 2 in which visibility reached the prison's fencepost and inmates were allowed to go outside.
Drivers faced low visibility on northern Utah roadways during the morning commute Friday as the dense fog and inversion mixed to create dangerous conditions. Due to the current week-long inversion, Salt Lake City has registered the worst air quality in the entire country.
The blanket of smog should remain in place until Sunday when a weak storm arrives and could sweep out some of the inversion.
