Charlotte and surrounding areas are currently under a Dense Fog Advisory, with the National Weather Service cautioning that visibility could be reduced to a quarter mile or less in dense fog. This weather event is impacting portions of northeast Georgia, much of Piedmont North Carolina, and Upstate South Carolina, and is expected to persist until 9 a.m. EST this morning. Drivers are advised to take extra precautions due to low visibility, which could make driving conditions hazardous. According to the National Weather Service's advisory, "Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog," issued at 5:06 a.m. EST today, travelers should slow down, use their low-beam headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of them, as per the National Weather Service.
The weather outlook continues to change as some locations in the Piedmont have seen fog become more variable in thickness since the early morning hours. Despite the fog becoming patchy in some places, the National Weather Service warns that these conditions may worsen again before the fog dissipates later in the morning. Under these conditions it's particularly important for drivers to remain vigilant as visibility could rapidly change on area roadways. "Even if visibility does not seem severely impacted, still be prepared to encounter dense fog," suggests the NWS advisory.
While the Dense Fog Advisory is set to lift this morning, the upcoming weather forecast for Charlotte indicates that more foggy conditions are expected later in the week. The detailed forecast predicts widespread fog both tonight and into Wednesday morning, creating the possibility of further early commuting challenges. A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am tonight and a closer to 40 percent chance of precipitation both on Wednesday afternoon and evening is on deck. This precipitation could likely be coupled with thunderstorms.
Looking beyond the immediate fog concerns, Charlotte can expect clear skies starting Thursday with a high near 57. The remainder of the week ushers in cooler temperatures yet sunny days, descending into mostly clear conditions with lows around 23 degrees come Sunday night. Therefore, while the advisory warns of hazardous weather conditions for today, "no hazardous weather is expected at this time" heading into the weekend, providing a respite from the recent fog and potential showers, according to the NWS report.
