The National Weather Service revised its dense fog advisory for the Tualatin Valley, Lower Columbia River, and North Oregon Coast Range Lowlands on Thursday at 2:47 a.m., and it will remain in effect until 11 a.m.
“Visibility is one quarter mile or less in dense fog, and freezing fog in spots across rural areas,” the weather agency notes. 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. Driving conditions could become dangerous due to low visibility, the weather agency notes. “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.
Guidance from the weather service for navigating foggy conditions
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:
Go at a moderate pace:
To ensure you get at your destination safely, slow down and allow additional time for your journey.
Visibility is important.
With low-beam headlights, which turn on your taillights automatically, you can be sure that people can see your car. If your car is fitted with fog lights, use them.
Steer clear of high beams:
Avoid using high-beam headlights since they produce glare that reduces your driving visibility.
Stay away:
Keep a considerable following distance in order to accommodate sudden stops or changes in traffic patterns.
Remain in your lane:
To stay in the right lane, follow the lane markers on the road.
Strategy for zero visibility:
When there is almost no visibility because of heavy fog, turn on your hazard lights and look for a safe place to stop, like the parking lot of a local business.
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 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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