NY weather: Dense fog advisory affecting New York until Friday morning

The National Weather Service issued a dense fog advisory at 3:30 a.m. on Friday in effect until 10 a.m. for Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

The weather service describes, “Visibility as low as one quarter mile at times in dense fog.”

“Hazardous driving conditions due to low visibility,” explains the weather service. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.”

Navigating fog: Safety tips by the weather service

If a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, it means that widespread dense fog has developed and visibility often drops to just a quarter-mile or less. These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.

If you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following safety tips in mind:

Reduce speed:

• Slow down and allocate extra time for your trip 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 available, employ your fog lights.

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.

Maintain safe gaps:

• Maintain a generous following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifting traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

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

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 are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding…