North Bay Interior Valleys and East Bay Interior Valleys were placed under a dense fog advisory by the National Weather Service on Friday at 8:06 p.m. The advisory is in effect until Saturday Dec. 13, at 11 a.m.
The NWS San Francisco CA states to prepare for, “Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.”
“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous. Limited visibility will result in hazardous driving conditions,” the NWS said. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you. If commuting, allow extra drive time to reach your destination safely. Widespread dense fog will have the potential to reduce visibility to below one-quarter of a mile. Use your low beam headlights, slow down, and be prepared for periods of hazardous driving conditions due to poor visibility. If possible, consider avoiding travel across the region. If you must travel, allow extra drive time to reach your destination safely.”
Guidance from the NWS for navigating foggy conditions
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 you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following safety tips in mind:
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 also activate your taillights. If you have fog lights, use 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:
Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.
Stay in your lane:
Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to staying in the correct lane.
Zero visibility protocol:
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.
No 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 more safely, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring your well-being.
For more weather alerts in the Bay Area, visit Weather Advisories