Breathtaking images capture river of fog filling the Grand
Canyon in a weather phenomenon that happens just once every DECADE.
Friday morning, the gorges of the Grand Canyon were filled
with fog in a rare temperature inversion.
A temperature inversion happens when hot air high up acts as a
seal to keep cold air pollution and fog trapped below.
While inversions happen once or twice a year at the Grand
Canyon, a full inversion is more unusual, happening closer to every 10 years.
By Ashley Collman
PUBLISHED: 19:22 GMT, 30 November 2013 | UPDATED: 20:49 GMT,
30 November 2013
From an extraordinary perspective.
Due to a rare weather phenomenon, the canyon's famous gorges were filled with a
river of fog.
According to the national park's Facebook page, the fog was
caused by something called a 'temperature inversion.'
This happens when warm air acts as a lid to seal cool air near
the ground. That means all pollution and fog is trapped and unable to rise.
Trapped: A temperature inversion is caused when warm air
higher up creates a lid to trap cool air below,
and all pollution and fog created near the ground.
Kingdom in the clouds: According to park rangers, the fog was
caused by a weather phenomenon called a 'temperature inversion.'
Ranger Erin Whittaker told MailOnline that temperature
inversions happen on average once or twice a year,
but never producing such a picturesque full inversion.
Most of the inversions only fill up parts of the canyon, or
occur on cloudy days.
Yesterday's inversion happened against a perfectly clear blue
sky, enveloping the entire canyon -
an event Ranger Whittaker says happens about every 10 years.
they couldn't see the Colorado River below, and just figured
it was a normal weather pattern.
Worth waiting for: Apparently park rangers wait years to see
a temperature inversion happen in the canyon.
Ocean of fog: While the weather caused the canyons to be
covered up, many still turned out to photograph the event.
But she and the other rangers tried to explain just how lucky
they were to see the canyon in a perfect inversion.
Once word spread, locals turned out to photograph the unusual
view.
'Word spread like wildfire and most ran to the rim to
photograph it. What a fantastic treat for all!' wrote Ranger Whittaker.
Ranger Whittaker described it as being like a 'really awesome
beach day' with all the locals leaving their posts to head to the beach to enjoy
themselves.
Spilling over: 'Word spread like wildfire and most ran to the
rim to photograph it,' wrote park Ranger Erin Whittaker.