Dense fog blankets the Valley, creating dangerous driving conditions

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Longtime Central Valley drivers accidental this year's fog is dissimilar what they person seen successful the past, with thick, persistent conditions lingering done full days and creating hazardous driving conditions crossed the region.

"The fog this year, for immoderate reason, it's been a full batch thicker," said Sylvia Vargas, proprietor and teacher astatine the Learn 2 Drive Center.

The dense fog blanketed Fresno connected Friday and amazed adjacent seasoned upwind watchers.

ABC30 Chief Meteorologist Kevin Musso described it arsenic unprecedented successful caller memory, saying, "This is the astir dense fog I person seen successful years -- astir apt decades."

Vargas said the fog brings backmost memories of earlier decades.

"Today resembles similar the 80s and adjacent the 70s with each this dense fog," she said.

The antithetic conditions person forced Vargas to set however she teaches caller drivers.

She said it has been galore years since she has had to regularly hole students to navigate specified constricted visibility.

"Our accent is to amusement them, you know, the close mode to thrust successful the fog," Vargas said.

Law enforcement officials accidental the fog has contributed to respective crashes this week.

The California Highway Patrol responded to aggregate collisions caused by debased visibility, including a clang connected Highway 43 eastbound of Laton involving 4 semi-trucks.

"One motortruck deed that trailer, and it caused a concatenation reaction," said CHP Officer Anthony Daulton.

Another clang Friday greeting left a teen critically injured aft the van she was driving collided with a semi-truck connected Minnewawa Avenue. Officials did not accidental whether velocity was a origin successful the crashes, but they accidental the conditions service arsenic a reminder for drivers to dilatory down.

"What a batch of radical don't recognize erstwhile it comes to fog is fog is moisture and moisture, and the fog is besides gonna beryllium connected the roadway."

Driving instructors accidental learning however to grip these conditions is essential, adjacent if it tin beryllium intimidating.

"We privation you to person that acquisition nether your loop connected however to support yourself harmless connected the road," Vargas said.

Safety experts urge keeping headlights connected astatine each times portion driving successful fog, adjacent during the day, manually mounting lights to debased beams and utilizing hazard lights if necessary. Drivers are besides advised not to halt abruptly and to propulsion implicit lone successful harmless locations erstwhile stopping is unavoidable.

Vargas said the proposal she gives her students is the aforesaid guidance she gives her ain children.

"I deliberation that I mightiness person much anxiousness than her, the existent driver. Because I cognize what tin hap retired there...," she said.

With heavy fog expected to stay a portion of Valley winters, officials impulse drivers to enactment alert, dilatory down and respect the dangers of reduced visibility.