The National Weather Service issued a report at 2:42 a.m. on Monday for dense fog until 6 a.m. for Berkshire County.
“Patchy dense fog this morning will lead to reduced visibilities during the Monday morning commute and motorists are urged to allow extra travel time to arrive to their destinations this morning. Also motorists should allow extra distance between you and other vehicles as visibilities may drop suddenly. Fog should diminish by 8 to 9am this morning,” states the weather service.
Guidance from the weather service for navigating foggy conditions
If you must venture out in foggy conditions, keep these safety tips from the weather service in mind:
Moderate your speed:
- Slow down and allow extra travel time to reach your destination safely.
Visibility priority:
- Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which automatically activate your taillights. Utilize fog lights if your vehicle is equipped with them.
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:
- 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.
Zero visibility strategy:
- 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.