Dense fog blankets Sacramento-area freeways during evening commute. How long will it last?
Weather officials warned drivers Thursday evening of dense fog blanketing parts of Northern California, including Sacramento-area freeways, that is expected to continue overnight and into Friday morning.
The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office issued a dense fog advisory just after 6 p.m. that is scheduled to last through 11 a.m. Friday for the central Sacramento Valley, including the city of Sacramento.
The weather service said visibility could be reduced to a quarter-mile or less, creating hazardous driving conditions during Thursday evening and Friday morning commute hours. According to a weather service bulletin, patches of dense fog started to develop early Thursday evening and “fog is expected to become widespread overnight.”
The agency in a social media post urged motorists in the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada foothills “to use caution and slow down when entering the fog zones both overnight and Friday morning.” Drivers also should not use high-beam headlights in foggy conditions.
Thick fog could be seen on the Capital City Freeway shortly after 6 p.m. Caltrans traffic cameras also showed foggy conditions on Interstate 80, Interstate 5 in the Natomas area, and on both I-5 and Highway 99 in the southern portion of Sacramento County.
Starting to see patchy fog already developing early this evening in the Sacramento area. Some locations down to around 1/2 mile visibility. Valley and foothill motorists will need to use caution and slow down when entering the fog zones both overnight and Friday morning. #cawx pic.twitter.com/PF7YJrLsSt
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) December 22, 2023
