The National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory at 9:41 p.m. on Sunday in effect until Monday at 6 a.m. for Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May and Burlington counties.
The weather service comments, “Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.”
“Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility,” describes the weather service. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.”
Guidance from the weather service for navigating foggy conditions
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 you must venture out in foggy conditions, keep these safety tips from the weather service in mind:
Moderate your 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.
Keep a safe distance:
- 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:
- To ensure you are staying in the correct lane, use the road’s lane markings as a guide.
Visibility near zero:
- In situations of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a secure location, such as a nearby business’s parking lot, to pull over and come to a stop.
No 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 remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.
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.
