One of nature's most stunning wonders, the Grand Canyon is incredibly deep and massively wide, which makes it, essentially, a good basin for trapped moisture.
That's what lead to it being filled with trapped fog yesterday in what is known as a cloud inversion. According to BuzzFeed, the warmer air above the Canyon trapped the cooler air filled with moisture below and the result looked a little something like this.
A rare weather phenomenon is filling the Grand Canyon with fog https://t.co/KDvIts1PN5 Photo: Maci MacPherson—AP pic.twitter.com/SFhLERdJQu
— TIME.com (@TIME) December 12, 2014
At its deepest point, the canyon is 6,000 feet deep and 18 miles wide, meaning that there is quite a bit of cloud in there to be cleared out, and they estimate that it could take several days for it to dissipate, as a result of there being no wind to clear it.
The sun sets over the low clouds that filled the Grand Canyon today. So many pictures to go through! #azwx pic.twitter.com/27PblIyP25
— Cory Mottice (@EverythingWX) December 12, 2014
The fog formation initially occurred because of that same lack of wind, and the weather service estimate that this natural phenomenon happens maybe once every decade. It makes for some spectacular images however, which showcase all the majesty and enormity of the Canyon itself.
Total cloud inversion seen from Mather Point: South Rim of #grandcanyon #nationalpark Dec.11, 2014. -mq pic.twitter.com/opA5oFlSOw
— Grand Canyon NPS (@GrandCanyonNPS) December 12, 2014
Main pic via Grand Canyon NPS/Twitter
