California – Headlights glow through thick morning fog as damp air settles across the Central Valley, muting sunrise and slowing early travel. Visibility drops at times, pavement stays slick, and the chill lingers longer than usual for mid-December.
Dense fog is expected to redevelop during the morning and again later today, creating pockets of reduced visibility across Sacramento and surrounding suburbs. According to the National Weather Service Sacramento office, visibility may dip below a mile at times, especially near rivers, low-lying roads, and open fields. Drivers should plan extra time and use low beams during foggy stretches.
Temperatures stay locked in the low-to-mid 40s today, with calm winds allowing fog to linger. Tonight brings more patchy dense fog, keeping roads damp into Sunday morning. According to NWS guidance, the fog should thin late Sunday, but clouds hold firm and keep highs near the mid-40s again.
Attention then turns to Monday as a weak weather system approaches Northern California. Clouds thicken early, and patchy fog gives way to a milder afternoon. Highs climb near 50 degrees, signaling a subtle shift. According to the National Weather Service, rain chances increase late Monday into Tuesday, bringing the first meaningful wet pattern of the week. While snow is not expected in the valley, slick roads and reduced visibility could impact the Monday commute.
Travelers on I-5, Highway 99, and surface streets should remain alert for sudden visibility drops through the weekend. Wet pavement combined with cool mornings raises a localized black ice risk in shaded areas north and east of Sacramento.
This is a classic early-winter setup: stubborn fog, muted temperatures, then a slow transition toward rain. Keep headlights clean, allow extra stopping distance, and check wipers before Monday’s change.
