Portland residents woke up to a blanket of dense fog this morning, prompting the National Weather Service in Portland to issue a Dense Fog Advisory until noon today. Visibility has been reported to drop to one-quarter mile or less in affected areas, significantly increasing travel hazards across various parts of Oregon and Southwest Washington.
According to the National Weather Service Portland, the advisory covers a broad swath, including the Central and Southern Willamette Valley, North and Central Coast Range Valleys of Oregon, and the Lower Columbia River and Cowlitz River Valleys. Commuters in Tualatin Valley, Portland West Hills, Chehalem Mountain, and Inner Portland Metro are advised to exercise caution. The conditions extend to Willapa and Wahkiakum Lowlands, North Clark County Lowlands, Inner Vancouver Metro, and South Washington Cascade Foothills.
Motorists have been urged to slow down, use their headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of them, Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous. Additional warnings have been issued for pedestrians and cyclists, recommending using bright or reflective clothing to ensure drivers see them in poor visibility conditions.
The fog was attributed to skies that cleared earlier in the evening, forming dense fog pockets in the south and central Willamette Valley. With clouds expected to break up overnight elsewhere, further fog development is anticipated. The advisory also indicated that patchy fog will precede the return to mostly clear skies later tonight, with temperatures possibly dropping to around 33 degrees. The forecast looks partly sunny with a high near 46 for Tuesday before potential rainfall later in the week.
