KeyDown cloud cover gripped Florida:
Residents of Florida have been affected by an unusual set of dense fog conditions, which some have described as having a peculiar odor. On social media platforms like Reddit and X, individuals have shared their impressions of the fog as being significantly more dense than the typical fog that is common in the state. Many have expressed their unease with the smell, describing it as being unlike anything they have ever experienced before.
Unfounded theories have started to emerge as a result of the lack of concrete information about the strange fog. Some Redditors have speculated that the fog may be the result of chemicals from manufacturing plants in the region, but there is currently no definitive evidence to support this theory. The federal government is facing numerous challenges with President Trump’s administration, which has seen the shutdown of several organizations and the implementation of early retirement packages for its workforce of 2 million employees. In this situation, it may be that experts on social media platforms are left to provide guidance.
“I’m not typically one to follow conspiracy theories,” said one Reddit user, “but this is definitely something happening in central Florida. I initially thought it was smoke, but it is indeed fog. It has a smell I am unable to describe.” Another user agreed, stating, “I usually don’t pay attention to conspiracy theories, but this fog is undeniably unusual. It smells off and doesn’t appear to resemble the typical fog I’ve seen in my 30 years of living in the area.” A third user wrote that the fog appears to smell like a mixture of gasoline and rubber, which is difficult to describe.
Geo-engineering practices such as cloud seeding and rain production may have added fuel to the conspiracy theories surrounding the fog. However, even if pollution from manufacturing plants is the actual cause of the fog, it seems likely that the problem will worsen as President Trump works to roll back environmental regulations and accelerate new projects worth at least $1 billion.
Video from the dense fog this morning. Foggy conditions will continue along the immediate northeast Florida and southeast Georgia coasts due to lingering sea fog moving onshore. https://t.co/r6rrFcJTai
— NWS Jacksonville (@NWSJacksonville) February 11, 2025
A spokesperson from the National Weather Service informed USA Today that, according to them, the fog is simply fog. They refrained from elaborating on the smell that residents have reported. “If you shine a light in the fog, what you are seeing are tiny water droplets,” they stated. “So that is likely what people are seeing.” Fog often forms when warm air from the ocean collides with cold land.
The National Weather Service declined to provide further explanations when approached by Gizmodo. Users of Reddit are fixated on the Palatka Paper Mill near Jacksonville as a possible culprit of the smelly fog. While the mill is owned by the Koch Brothers, who are strong supporters of President Trump, the mill has yet to be identified as the source.
If the idea that pollution from manufacturing plants is the cause of the unusual fog is true, it seems likely that the problem will grow more prevalent as President Trump works to roll back environmental regulations and accelerate new projects worth at least $1 billion.
Even though cities such as Los Angeles once had extremely poor air quality before new car emissions standards were implemented, cities can improve their air quality with the implementation of regulations. However, the Republican Party has historically been opposed to increased emissions standards. Maybe it should not be called fog at all, but rather freedom fog.
