The National Weather Service issued a report at 3:22 a.m. on Wednesday for dense fog until 9 a.m. for Mobile and Baldwin counties.

“Areas of dense fog have developed across far southeastern Mississippi, coastal Alabama, and portions of the western Florida Panhandle. Visibilities will locally be reduced to below one quarter of a mile at times. Visibility conditions may rapidly change over short distances in ground fog. Please exercise caution while driving this morning and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Use low beam headlights and slow vehicle speeds to account for the changing visibilities over short distances. Visibilities are expected to rapidly improve after 9 am cst as fog dissipates,” according to the weather service.

Navigating fog: Safety tips by the weather service

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

Reduce speed:

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

Visibility priority:

• Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights. If you have fog lights, use them.

Avoid high-beams:

• Refrain from using high-beam headlights, as they create glare that impairs your visibility on the road.

Maintain safe gaps:

• Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.

Stay in your lane:

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

Zero visibility protocol:

• 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.

Limited parking options:

• If no designated parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible. Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.

By adhering to these precautions from the weather service, 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.