Dense fog advisory issued for South Alabama until Saturday morning

Dense fog advisory issued for South Alabama until Saturday morning

On Friday at 9:57 p.m. a dense fog advisory was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until Saturday at 10 a.m. for Choctaw, Washington, Clarke, Wilcox, Monroe, Conecuh, Butler, Crenshaw, Escambia, Covington, Mobile and Baldwin counties.

The weather service adds, “Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.”

“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous,” describes the weather service. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.”

Fog safety: Tips from the weather service for safe travels

When a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, it means that widespread dense fog has developed and visibility can plummet to a quarter-mile or less. These conditions pose challenges for travel, so exercise extra caution on the road or consider postponing your trip if possible.

If driving in fog becomes unavoidable, remember these safety tips:

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 also activate your taillights. If available, employ your fog lights.

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 a safe distance:

  • Maintain a significant following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifts in traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

  • Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to staying in the correct lane.

Visibility near zero:

  • In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, initiate your hazard lights and locate a secure spot, such as a nearby business parking area, to pull over and come to a halt.

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 weather service recommendations, you can navigate foggy conditions with greater safety, mitigating the risk of accidents and prioritizing your well-being.

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.