Fog is gone with the wind

Chilly breezes are expected to keep fog at bay - for now.

Monday, Nov. 03, 2008

Brace for breezy cold winds today, but don't expect them to be followed by widespread fog - a trademark of Valley winters - this week.

A storm system moved in Monday night and was expected to bring 0.10 of an inch of rain to much of the Valley. At elevations above 6,000 feet, between 3 to 7 inches of snow were forecast to fall in Yosemite National Park and between 2 to 4 inches at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

"We will have breezy conditions today, which will inhibit the development of fog," said Jeff Barstow, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Hanford. "You have to have calm winds and low-level moisture to get fog."

Instead, motorists and pedestrians will face chilly winds at 10 to 20 mph and a high temperature of 66 degrees in Fresno, 65 degrees in Hanford and 64 degrees in Porterville.

The weather service reports that some patchy fog is possible throughout the week between 5 and 10 a.m. The California Highway Patrol warns motorists to slow down, give themselves plenty of time to get to their destinations, and use low-beam headlights in fog.

"It's imperative motorists become aware they need to change their driving habits," said CHP officer Jason Bettini.

If visibility is below 500 feet, a CHP patrol vehicle will travel on highways with emergency lights to help guide traffic, a CHP spokesman said.

Electronic signs also will alert drivers of patchy or dense fog, he said.

Wednesday's temperatures are expected to reach 65 degrees in Fresno with a low of 45; 66 degrees in Madera with low of 43; and 61 degrees in Visalia with a low of 40.

"It will feel chilly out there," Barstow said.