A report was issued from the National Weather Service on Sunday at 8:12 a.m. for dense fog until noon for Lauderdale, Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Marshall, Jackson, DeKalb and Cullman counties.

“Patchy dense fog and drizzle has developed, with visibility dropping to 1/4 mile or less in some areas. Ridges and mountaintops will be especially foggy this morning due to the low cloudiness. Motorists are urged to drive with extreme caution, as visibility will vary significantly given the patchy nature of the fog. Use low beams, reduce driving speed, and allow for plenty of room between you and other cars. The fog should begin to lift through late morning along and west of I-65, but may linger through midday east of I-65.|,” states the weather service.

Fog safety: Tips from the weather service for safe travels

If you need to drive through fog, remember these safety guidelines:

Reduce speed:

• Slow down and allow extra travel time to reach your destination safely.

Visibility matters:

• 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.

Keep your distance:

• Keep a considerable following distance to account for sudden stops or shifts in traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

• To ensure you are staying in the correct lane, use the road’s lane markings as a guide.

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 weather service precautions, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the likelihood of accidents and ensuring your personal safety.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.