California – Headlights glow like halos in the darkness as dense fog settles thick across the San Joaquin Valley. Visibility vanishes quickly, turning familiar roads into slow-moving corridors of brake lights and caution.
The National Weather Service has issued a Dense Fog Advisory for Hanford and surrounding communities, remaining in effect until noon Thursday. Visibility has dropped to one-quarter mile or less, with pockets approaching zero in the thickest fog. The risk is highest during the morning commute and early travel hours.
Across Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran, and nearby valley towns, fog blankets highways and rural roads alike. Major routes including Interstate 5, Highway 99, and State Routes 41, 43, 46, 58, and 198 are impacted. Low visibility makes lane changes dangerous and sudden slowdowns likely. To be fair, conditions can improve briefly, then worsen again within minutes.
Drivers are urged to slow down, use low-beam headlights, and leave extra distance between vehicles. Expect sudden stops near intersections and on elevated roadways. This type of February fog often lingers longer than expected, especially where winds remain calm.
By late morning, fog should gradually thin, allowing sunshine to break through and temperatures to climb into the mid-60s. Tonight brings mostly clear skies, but patchy fog redevelops after midnight, setting up another hazy start Thursday morning.
Thursday warms quickly once fog lifts, with highs nearing the upper 60s. Looking ahead, Friday and Saturday stay dry and mild, supporting a gradual warming trend into the weekend. Early next week introduces increasing clouds and small rain chances, though widespread impacts remain uncertain.
Plan extra time for travel this morning, especially if commuting before mid-day. Are you seeing dense fog or improving visibility where you are right now?
Five-Day Outlook for Hanford, California
• Today: Dense fog early, then sunny, high near 65
• Thursday: Patchy fog early, partly sunny, high near 68
• Friday: Mostly cloudy, high near 65
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, high near 65
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, high near 66
