Dense Fog Advisory for parts of DC region Friday
WASHINGTON - Parts of the Washington, D.C. region are expected to see heavy fog throughout the Friday morning commute, causing the National Weather Service to issue a Dense Fog Advisory for some areas.
The Dense Fog Advisory will be in place until 10 a.m. The weather service warns that the fog will make driving conditions hazardous due to low visibility of around one-quarter mile or less.
The widespread dense fog blanketed some areas of the District, Maryland, and Virginia and was patchy in others. Drivers are urged to use extreme caution on the roads and are encouraged to delay travel if possible.
After a foggy start with a chance of rain Friday, springlike temperatures will climb to near 70 degrees. Rain is likely Saturday afternoon before temperatures drop back down into the 50s and 40s by the end of the weekend.
The Washington Monument in the fog early Friday, January 26, 2024
The U.S. Capitol through a hazy fog early Friday, January 26, 2024
If you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following NWS fog safety tips in mind:
- Slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination.
- Make your vehicle visible to others both ahead of you and behind you by using your low-beam headlights since this means your taillights will also be on. Use fog lights if you have them.
- Never use your high-beam lights. Using high beam lights causes glare, making it more difficult for you to see what’s ahead of you on the road.
- Leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.
- To ensure you are staying in the proper lane, follow the lines on the road with your eyes.
- 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.
- 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.