A fog tsunami? It’s a real weather phenomenon—and one hit Lake Michigan last week.
It might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but “fog tsunamis,” or fog banks, are a real weather phenomenon.
Michigan-based photographer Radiant Landscapes Photography captured the spectacular moment on Facebook, showing a massive wave of fog cascading inland and making for some otherworldly scenes.
What caused the fog bank?
According to Wood TV, the dense fog wave formed when cold lake water met the moist air left behind by last week’s storms. As a cool outflow of air moved north across Lake Michigan, it pushed the fog ahead of it—creating the dramatic rolling wave effect.
Chicago has experienced a stretch of volatile weather in recent weeks, marked by dramatic temperature swings and frequent storms.
If this pattern holds, we could be in for more fog banks and other striking cloud formations—especially along the lakefront.