5 Freeway through Grapevine is the focus of a dense fog advisory issued at 2:21 a.m. on Thursday by the National Weather Service. The advisory is in effect until noon.
“Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog,” can be expected according to the NWS Hanford CA. “Highways include, but are not limited to Interstate 5, State Routes 99, 41, 43, 46, 58, 59, 140, 152, 165, 180 and 198.”
“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous,” according to the NWS. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.”
The full list of affected locations includes:
- 5 Freeway through Grapevine
- Los Banos – Dos Palos
- Merced – Madera – Mendota
- Planada – Le Grand – Snelling
- West Side of Fresno/Kings Counties
- Caruthers – San Joaquin – Selma
- Fresno-Clovis
- Buttonwillow – Lost Hills – I5
- Delano-Wasco-Shafter
- Hanford – Corcoran – Lemoore
- Visalia – Porterville – Reedley
- Bakersfield
- Southeast San Joaquin Valley
- South End San Joaquin Valley
- Tehachapi
- Buena Vista County
Navigating fog: Safety tips by the NWS
If a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, it means that widespread dense fog has developed and visibility often drops to just a quarter-mile or less. These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.
If driving in fog becomes unavoidable, remember these safety tips:
Moderate your speed:
Slow down and allocate extra travel time to reach your destination safely.
Visibility priority:
Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which automatically activate your taillights. Utilize fog lights if your vehicle is equipped with them.
Avoid high-beams:
Refrain from using high-beam lights, as they create glare, making it more difficult for you to see what’s ahead of you on the road.
Maintain safe gaps:
Keep a considerable following distance to account for sudden stops or shifts in traffic patterns.
Stay in your lane:
Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to remaining in the correct lane.
Visibility near zero:
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.
Limited parking options:
If there is no parking lot or driveway to pull into, pull your vehicle off to the side of the road as far as possible. Once you come to a stop, turn off all lights except your hazard flashing lights, set the emergency brake, and take your foot off of the brake pedal to be sure the tail lights are not illuminated so that other drivers don’t mistakenly run into you.
By adhering to these recommendations from the NWS, you can navigate foggy conditions with greater safety, mitigating the risk of accidents and prioritizing your well-being.
For more local weather alerts, visit our Weather Advisory page
