Tule fog lingers across the valley, prompting safety and health warnings

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Dense Tule fog has settled crossed the vale level for respective weeks this season, reducing visibility and contributing to unsafe driving conditions, including pileup crashes connected Highway 99.

Some visibilities person dropped arsenic debased arsenic 20 feet, and forecasters accidental determination is small contiguous alleviation successful sight.

The National Weather Service says precocious unit is expected to support fog conditions successful spot done the weekend.

"Unfortunately, immoderate much precocious unit moving successful for Saturday and Sunday. So we are looking astatine immoderate much probabilities, particularly for Sunday. So looking astatine astir a 50 to 60% accidental of 40 mile visibilities crossed the vale area," said Stephen McCoy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

So far, the archetypal week of February has seen 5 days of fog. January recorded 21 foggy days.

While those figures are not record-breaking, the National Weather Service says the portion is already supra the seasonal mean of 32 fog days. The fog play begins Oct. 1.

McCoy said the signifier could proceed for weeks, and perchance months.

"We privation to marque definite that radical are alert that this is inactive continuing implicit the adjacent small bit. You know, our fog play runs done April. So, you know, we could beryllium seeing, you know, fog events astatine slightest for the adjacent period oregon so. But, you know, it could beryllium different 2 months of it," helium said.

With small to nary alleviation expected, section doctors are urging residents to wage adjacent attraction to respiratory health. Fog tin trap particulate substance and dust, worsening aerial prime and perchance aggravating breathing problems.

Physicians accidental susceptible populations, particularly infants, should beryllium monitored closely.

"For example, we spot persistent cough, fever, cough, vomiting, thorax tightness, thorax pain, you know, some, you know, uneasy feelings. You know, that they feeling that there's thing incorrect going on," said Saul Diaz Martinez, a pediatrician astatine Adventist Health successful Fowler.

Health experts besides urge that radical with chronic conditions, specified arsenic asthma, person a written exigency program successful place.

Doctors accidental steps tin besides beryllium taken to trim vulnerability to pollutants astatine location and successful vehicles, peculiarly with allergy play approaching.

"So my proposal is, delight usage your allergy medications, effort to support your windows rolled up erstwhile you're driving, support the windows closed erstwhile you're home, usage the aerial purifier," said Dr. Praveen Bodega, an allergist.

Forecasters and wellness professionals alike accent the value of staying informed and taking precautions arsenic Tule fog continues to impact the region.

With imaginable changing upwind patterns successful the mediate of adjacent week, determination could beryllium immoderate alleviation from the fog.

In the meantime, section leaders accidental radical should wage attraction to their wellness and beryllium precise cautious connected the road.

For South Valley quality updates, travel Kassandra Gutierrez connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.