Fog advisory in the Battlefords for second straight day. (ID 134596443 © Dmitrii Melnikov | Dreamstime.com)

By Keaton Brown

into the mist

Safety tips from SGI for navigating the heavy fog in Battlefords area

Jan 29, 2020 | 2:00 PM

People in the Battlefords area woke up this morning to find the city blanketed in a thick layer of fog for the second day in a row.

The fog was thick enough for Environment Canada to issue a two-day fog advisory for both days. The advisory is issued when fog is thick enough to limit visibility to below a quarter mile.

Unlike an extreme cold weather warning, which usually results in bus cancellations and school closures, a fog advisory does not stop people from travelling.

Tyler McMurchy is the media relations manager for SGI and has a few tips for anyone who has to travel during a fog advisory.

“One thing we always tell people is that when you are driving in foggy conditions is to make sure that your headlights and taillights are on. The daytime running lights on vehicles do not always turn on your taillights during foggy conditions,” he said.

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McMurchy also said low beam headlights are more effective in foggy conditions than the high beam setting.

“In heavy fog, the low beams are actually more visible and high beams can make it harder to see the road,” he said.

Another major factor when visibility becomes limited is speed. SGI always encourages drivers to reduce their speeds to better suit the many different conditions found on Saskatchewan roads. McMurchy had a handy tip for drivers to know if they are travelling at an appropriate speed.

“We recommend adjusting your speed to the number of seconds you can see ahead. If you can’t see 12 seconds ahead, slow down until you can. If you have already slowed down significantly and still can’t see 12 seconds ahead that is a good indicator that you will want to find a safe place to pull over to the side of the road,” he said.

The fog is expected to dissipate through the afternoon, but with more warm weather on the forecast, Battlefords residents can expect to see it again soon.

—

Keaton.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow