Weather alert for dense fog in part of Pennsylvania Sunday morning

A weather alert was issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday at 6:32 a.m. for dense fog until 9:15 a.m. for Northern Centre and Southern Centre as well as Clearfield, Cambria, Blair, Huntingdon, Somerset, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Union, Snyder, Montour, Northumberland, Columbia, Perry, Dauphin, Lebanon, Cumberland, Adams, York and Lancaster counties.

“Locally dense fog and drizzle continues across the area with some locations dropping to near zero visibility. Please use caution through the morning hours if you will be traveling as visbilities can change rapidly over a short distance. The fog is expected to dissipate by mid morning,” says the weather service.

Fog safety: Tips from the weather service for safe travels

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

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 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:

• Maintain a significant following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifts in traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

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

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.

No parking options:

• If no parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far to the roadside as possible. Once stationary, turn off 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 weather service recommendations, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the risk of accidents and ensuring 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.