At 1:03 a.m. on Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory for the Oregon Lower Treasure Valley that would last until 11 a.m.
“Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog,” the weather agency states. “Snow flurries are possible through the morning commute making for slick road conditions.”
“Those who have respiratory disorders may experience complications as a result of poor air quality. Driving conditions could be dangerous due to low visibility, the weather agency said. “When it comes to dealing with high levels of air pollution during periods of stagnant air, people with respiratory illnesses should heed their doctors’ recommendations. 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. Use your headlights, slow down, and give yourself plenty of space if you’re driving.
Fog safety: Tips from the weather service for safe travels
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 driving in fog is unavoidable, keep these safety precautions in mind:
Slow down:
To get to your location safely, slow down and give yourself more time to travel.
Priority for visibility:
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 lights as they produce glare, which makes it harder to see what’s in front of you on the road.
Keep your gaps safe:
To allow for unexpected stops or changes in traffic patterns, maintain a significant following distance.
Remain in your lane:
To stay in the proper lane, follow the lane lines on the road.
Visibility close to zero:
The best course of action in extremely deep fog with near-zero visibility is to switch on your hazard lights first, then pull into a safe spot, like a local company parking lot, and stop.
Absence of parking choices
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 circumstances, reducing the chance of accidents and putting your health first.
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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