Dense fog advisory active for 5 Freeway through Grapevine until Monday midday – visibility limited to 1/4 mile

5 Freeway through Grapevine was placed under a dense fog advisory by the National Weather Service on Sunday at 6:23 p.m. The advisory is in effect until Monday Dec. 8, at 11 a.m.

The NWS Hanford CA says to anticipate, “Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog for elevations between 1000 and 2500 feet.”

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

The full list of affected locations includes:

• 5 freeway through Grapevine
• West Side Mountains north of 198
• Coalinga – Avenal
• West Side Mountains South of 198
• South End San Joaquin Valley
• Mariposa Madera Foothills
• Mariposa-Madera Lower Sierra
• Fresno-Tulare Foothills
• Fresno-Tulare Lower Sierra
• South End Sierra Foothills
• South End of the Lower Sierra
• Tehachapi
• Frazier Mountain Communities
• Buena Vista County

Navigating fog: Safety tips by the NWS

If a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, it means that widespread dense fog has developed and visibility often drops to just a quarter-mile or less. These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.

If you must venture out in foggy conditions, keep these safety tips from the NWS in mind:

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 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 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.

Zero visibility strategy:

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

For more local weather alerts, visit our Weather Advisory page