At 2:47 a.m. on Thursday, the National Weather Service issued an updated dense fog advisory for the West Central and East Central Willamette Valleys, which is in force until 11 a.m.
According to the meteorological service, “There are areas in rural areas with freezing fog and visibility of a quarter mile or less in dense fog.” A prolonged inversion with light and changeable winds may result in a period of stagnant air conditions, often known as the Air Stagnation Advisory. Over time, this situation can cause air contaminants to accumulate close to the surface.
“Those who have respiratory disorders may experience complications as a result of poor air quality. The weather service warns that driving conditions could become dangerous due to low visibility. “State air quality organizations strongly advise against outdoor burning and to minimize the number of wood-burning equipment in homes. Long stretches of stagnant air can trap pollutants near the ground where people live and breathe, according to state air quality regulators. For information on any current limitations in your area, contact your local burn agency. When there is a high degree of air pollution during times of stagnant air, people with respiratory illnesses should heed their doctor’s advise, particularly if your location is under an Air Quality Alert. As an alternative, you could enter your location in the search bar located on the homepage’s upper-left corner. If there is an Air Quality Alert for your area, it will be displayed at the top; if so, you can click on it to view further information. When driving, reduce your speed and give yourself plenty of space. To improve their chances of being noticed by others in low visibility situations, cyclists and pedestrians can dress in reflective or bright clothes.
Navigating fog: Safety tips by the weather service
Visibility can drop to a quarter-mile or less when a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, indicating that widespread dense fog has formed. Travel is difficult in these conditions, so be extra careful when driving or, if at all possible, postpone your journey.
If it becomes impossible to avoid driving in fog, keep these safety precautions in mind:
Go at a moderate pace:
To get to your location safely, slow down and give yourself more time to travel.
Visibility is important.
Use low-beam headlights, which also turn on your taillights, to make sure that people can see your car. Make use of your fog lights if you have them.
Steer clear of high beams:
Avoid using high-beam headlights since they produce glare that reduces your driving visibility.
Keep your gaps safe:
Keep a wide following distance in order to accommodate sudden stops or changing traffic patterns.
Remain in your lane:
To stay in the right lane, follow the lane markers on the road.
Protocol for zero visibility:
When there is almost no visibility because of heavy fog, turn on your hazard lights and find a safe place to stop, like a nearby company parking lot.
Restricted parking possibilities
Pull your car as far to the side of the road as you can if there isn’t a driveway or parking lot to pull into. Once you’ve stopped, make sure the tail lights are off so other cars won’t accidentally collide with you by turning off all lights except your hazard flashing lights, applying the emergency brake, and removing your foot from the brake pedal.
Following these weather service guidelines will help you drive more safely in foggy conditions, lowering your chance of an accident and protecting your health.
United Robots offers a service called Advance Local Weather Alerts that gathers the most recent information from the National Weather Service using machine learning.
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