Morning drivers around Portland are rolling into a wall of gray today, as dense fog settles into river valleys and low-lying stretches of the metro area. In some spots, you can only see a few hundred feet ahead. At Portland International Airport, readings show temperatures hovering near 34°F with humidity close to maxed out, and the National Weather Service has a Dense Fog Advisory up through 10:00 a.m. PST. Anyone on the roads, sidewalks or bike lanes is urged to slow down, stick to low beams and pad in extra time for the commute.
Advisory Details
The advisory flags "visibility one quarter mile or less" across portions of the Portland metro, which is more than enough to make for tricky driving through the rest of the morning rush. The National Weather Service expects conditions to improve later in the day, calling for partly sunny skies this afternoon with a high near 49°F. Overnight lows are forecast to dip into the mid-30s, and that could set up some patchy frost in colder, sheltered spots early Thursday. Details are from NWS Portland.
Afternoon Outlook
The blanket of fog should gradually thin out by mid to late morning, trading low clouds for some breaks of sun. Afternoon highs are expected to top out near 49°F, with light west-southwest winds around 5 mph keeping things pretty calm overall. By tonight, temperatures are set to slide back into the mid-30s, which is cool enough for a frosty windshield or two before sunrise Thursday.
Commute Tips
On bridges, ramps and any stretch where the fog suddenly thickens, knock your speed down, flip on low-beam headlights and give the car in front of you extra space. If you have the flexibility, consider postponing nonessential trips until after the advisory expires at 10:00 a.m. PST. Transit riders should plan for slower-moving traffic too, leave earlier than usual and check for any service alerts before heading out the door.
More Context
This murky morning follows a run of wet weather and repeat fog events in the area. For a look at how similar conditions snarled traffic earlier this week, see our coverage of the Tuesday commute crawl. We will share updates if the National Weather Service extends, cancels or adjusts the advisory later this morning.
