Tule Fog Driving Season

[cl94]

I had some fun in the tule fog on the 13th as part of a day trip to Sacramento. Parts of CA 70 were quite socked in, and it was quite weird to descend from 70 degrees and sunny at Jarbo Gap into 40s and foggy by the time I got into the valley.

[ClassicHasClass]

It was certainly very dramatic driving over the Grapevine.

[Max Rockatansky]

Seventeen vehicles wrecked yesterday on southbound 99 in Fresno.  There was one fatality, the crash is being blamed on Tule Fog.  This is a out four miles from my house:

https://fb.watch/EAN_KcRUSy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

[pderocco]

Is the TV station actually using phone cameras to interview people? Or are they cropping their normal video just to look like Tik-Tok?

[SeriesE]

Seventeen vehicles wrecked yesterday on southbound 99 in Fresno.  There was one fatality, the crash is being blamed on Tule Fog.  This is a out four miles from my house:

https://fb.watch/EAN_KcRUSy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I was in the area yesterday afternoon. I didn't know the crashes happened in the morning because traffic maps were showing it as clear for a while.

[Max Rockatansky]

^^^

The detour apparently was on southbound 41 and back east to 99 via North Avenue.  Me personally I would think getting to Golden State at the Ventura Street exit from 99 would be a far more efficient way to get around the wreck.

Is the TV station actually using phone cameras to interview people? Or are they cropping their normal video just to look like Tik-Tok?

Don't know since I don't have a TikTok account?  I'm assuming the video was altered in some sort of way for a Facebook Story if that is similar.

[SeriesE]

I went with CA-41 S -> American Avenue -> Chestnut Avenue -> CA-99 S, but my car's GPS recommended CA-180 E -> Clovis Avenue -> CA-99 S.

[ClassicHasClass]

Seventeen vehicles wrecked yesterday on southbound 99 in Fresno.  There was one fatality, the crash is being blamed on Tule Fog.  This is a out four miles from my house:

https://fb.watch/EAN_KcRUSy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

We drove by that going NB. It was obvious which car had the fatality in it - it was almost pancaked. A terrible accident.

[DTComposer]

Seventeen vehicles wrecked yesterday on southbound 99 in Fresno.  There was one fatality, the crash is being blamed on Tule Fog.  This is a out four miles from my house:

https://fb.watch/EAN_KcRUSy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/1-dead-least-20-injured-fresno-pileup-crash-fog-21291423.php

We drove by that going NB. It was obvious which car had the fatality in it - it was almost pancaked. A terrible accident.

It appears the fatality was a man who got out of his car and was hit by another car. His wife was also struck and has significant injuries.

[Quillz]

Seventeen vehicles wrecked yesterday on southbound 99 in Fresno.  There was one fatality, the crash is being blamed on Tule Fog.  This is a out four miles from my house:

https://fb.watch/EAN_KcRUSy/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/1-dead-least-20-injured-fresno-pileup-crash-fog-21291423.php

We drove by that going NB. It was obvious which car had the fatality in it - it was almost pancaked. A terrible accident.

It appears the fatality was a man who got out of his car and was hit by another car. His wife was also struck and has significant injuries.

That's exactly what happened to Gunpai Yokoi, a legendary name in video games (and Nintendo). He was in an accident, but survived, but when he got out to try to assess the situation, was hit by another car

[Max Rockatansky]

The last two days is the worst fog I've seen since I have moved to the Central Valley.  It took me 70 minutes to get to work when it usually takes 38-40.  There wasn't any traffic jams, I just couldn't see.  The fog never lifted between Lemoore and Fresno.  There was a huge four semi wreck on 43 around Hanford this morning.

https://kmph.com/news/local/major-crash-involving-multiple-big-rigs-on-hwy-43-near-hanford?fbclid=IwRlRTSAPXy_VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeW4bmZpjQYtUK6jTDleWQZWLqygEhgRacIv0so3buSUYDoPiYrDaDb3Uc3R4_aem_DrGOw-hMJf7h6E_GBSsvvg

Apparently the Clovis School District called for their first Fog Delay bus schedule in 23 years today:

https://abc30.com/post/clovis-unified-calls-foggy-day-schedule-first-time-23-years-buses-delayed-4-hours/18418142/?ex_cid=TA_KFSN_FB&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwZnRzaAPX-_ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeUR_IUE5lMU6EuaJ-AV3glEmn-_2XH_JMX4mFfRoZnpzGmPlZbxTLMbPe4Z8_aem_QzrlOwAoPdmZ-E284NOHgg

[Max Rockatansky]

Now there is DashCam footage of the 17 vehicle wreck on 99:

https://fb.watch/EH_enRoYHy/?mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e

[bing101]

This is the periodic fog that has the CHP running their cruisers as 'pace cars' to lead traffic on nearby I-5, too, correct?

Mike

Yes thats true.

I haven't run into escorts myself since 2017.  That year CHP was doing them on 41 and 198.  I ended up taking local roads just avoid people in general.

I seen this on I-80 in the Fairfield area given the location near the I-80 @ CA-12 Truck scales and have to deal with Bay Area,  Sacramento, Reno and Lake Tahoe Holiday Traffic at the same time.

Come to think of it, I've never seen a CHP escort on anything below expressway standard. 

True I seen the Tule Fog driving into Fairfield and going to Benicia in a short distance does not have tule fog. It's a case of being on the edges of both San Pablo Bay and Sacramento Delta/valley areas in my case.

[jdbx]

I just returned from a trip to/from Orange County for a baseball tournament that my son was competing in. I had to weigh which was going to be worse: fighting with the thick traffic and micro-passing big rigs on I-5 but avoid the worst of the fog, or taking my chances on 99 where the traffic would be a bit more tolerable, but the fog could potentially cancel out any advantage in travel time.  After seeing the footage of that wreck in Fresno, I opted for I-5.  The decision to build the Westside Freeway hugging the hills was a wise one, the route was mostly fog-free except for a few short stretches.  I had plenty of time to contemplate that as I plodded along at 58 MPH for a dozen miles at a time whenever I got caught behind one of the micropassers... also pondering what toll I would gladly pay for an express lane on that stretch.

[Max Rockatansky]

It was nice approaching Delta-Mendota Canal along Need Avenue yesterday morning and seeing the fog instantly lift as I was nearing I-5.  18 miles of I-5 between Nees and CA 152 was barely tolerable heading back to Firebaugh yesterday afternoon though.  I almost got tired enough of the micro passes to divert onto Pole Line Road from the CA 165 exit.

[tawnuskgrevy]

Drove from SoCal to San Jose and back for a convention this past weekend and the temperature difference caused by the tule fog was remarkably impressive both directions. Most of the time it's the *top* of the Grapevine that's cold and the valley floor that's warm, but it was sunny and in the mid-70s in Lebec versus foggy and upper-40s along the whole stretch of the 5 between Buttonwillow and Los Banos.

The view going down into the fog-shrouded valley along CA 152 past the reservoir was really pretty though.

[heynow415]

I just returned from a trip to/from Orange County for a baseball tournament that my son was competing in. I had to weigh which was going to be worse: fighting with the thick traffic and micro-passing big rigs on I-5 but avoid the worst of the fog, or taking my chances on 99 where the traffic would be a bit more tolerable, but the fog could potentially cancel out any advantage in travel time.  After seeing the footage of that wreck in Fresno, I opted for I-5.  The decision to build the Westside Freeway hugging the hills was a wise one, the route was mostly fog-free except for a few short stretches.  I had plenty of time to contemplate that as I plodded along at 58 MPH for a dozen miles at a time whenever I got caught behind one of the micropassers... also pondering what toll I would gladly pay for an express lane on that stretch.

I got stuck with that decision one winter evening and, after a long slog up I5 in dense fog until almost Tracy, I vowed not to do that again.  The next time the situation arose I decided to experiment with 101. Having driven it many times before (LA-SLO, SLO-Bay Area), I knew what was involved.  If I5 and 101 are both free flowing (that's a big 'if') then 101 is about 1.5 hours longer. With tule fog, 5 and 99 both lose their straighter alignment advantage. Yes, 101 is longer but it's nice to be moving and being able to see where you're going.  And in the daytime, the scenery ain't half bad either.

[Plutonic Panda]

I was wondering how much better dealing with the 101+coastal fog and added time would be. Personally when driving the bay I prefer the 101 regardless.

[Quillz]

Some of the worst coastal fog I ever dealt with was back in 2024, coming back from my Redwoods trip. I was on the Shoreline Highway (the northernmost CA-1 alignment) and the fog was so thick near the Sonoma Coast bluffs that I had to drive about 5 mph and couldn't see more than a couple feet in front of me. This was when I still had my Jeep Wrangler which had terrible headlights, they barely lit up anything. It took me almost six hours to drive the whole thing, when normally it's half that time at the most.

[Plutonic Panda]

Some of the worst coastal fog I ever dealt with was back in 2024, coming back from my Redwoods trip. I was on the Shoreline Highway (the northernmost CA-1 alignment) and the fog was so thick near the Sonoma Coast bluffs that I had to drive about 5 mph and couldn't see more than a couple feet in front of me. This was when I still had my Jeep Wrangler which had terrible headlights, they barely lit up anything. It took me almost six hours to drive the whole thing, when normally it's half that time at the most.

Would you say it would be worth it driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco versus taking the valley roads?

[Quillz]

Some of the worst coastal fog I ever dealt with was back in 2024, coming back from my Redwoods trip. I was on the Shoreline Highway (the northernmost CA-1 alignment) and the fog was so thick near the Sonoma Coast bluffs that I had to drive about 5 mph and couldn't see more than a couple feet in front of me. This was when I still had my Jeep Wrangler which had terrible headlights, they barely lit up anything. It took me almost six hours to drive the whole thing, when normally it's half that time at the most.

Would you say it would be worth it driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco versus taking the valley roads?

Depends on what you like. If you're more into scenic driving, sure, it's nice. When everything is open, I will generally take the entirety of CA-1. Although more recently, I've been taking CA-116 to Shoreline Highway to cut off the long inward portion of the latter. Once you get north of Fort Bragg and start to enter the Redwood Curtain, it's beautiful.

I've said before I don't really like I-5 through the Valley. Not very scenic, although it's a great drive north of Redding. But I can also get from LA to the Redwood Curtain in one day due to it being much faster.

[jdbx]

I was wondering how much better dealing with the 101+coastal fog and added time would be. Personally when driving the bay I prefer the 101 regardless.

I have used 101 quite a few times when traveling to/from SoCal.  The travel time is about 1-2 hours longer in typical circumstances, which is an OK tradeoff sometimes... but it is not the same relaxing drive that it was even 10 years ago.  I have never encountered problems with coastal fog impacting visibility. That said, traffic in the area between Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo, as well as between Salinas and Gilroy on the weekends has become much worse each time I use 101. Also, the construction south of Santa Barbara, and removing the higher speed limit through Camp Roberts has not helped improve my driving experience either.  It's still a nice drive if you can time it right, particularly on weekdays. But the only time I even consider it as a first choice is if there is a winter storm likely to drop snow on Tejon Pass and close the highway, or if I am planning to also visit Santa Barbara or Pismo.

[SeriesE]

My experience:

US-101: Easiest drive in the middle (fewer trucks), but "LA traffic" is longer (Ventura to I-405)
I-5: Too many left lane campers, most trucks. Nice to be able to set the cruise control at 70+ once in a while
CA-99: Lots of 3 lane segments, generally newer pavement (except the part near Tipton), more trucks than US-101 but less than I-5, 65 speed limit for half the drive

[Max Rockatansky]

99 when it opens up is the only one of the three you can get in a line of cars going 85 MPH plus.  That scenario is extremely unlikely in fog season.

[jdbx]

99 when it opens up is the only one of the three you can get in a line of cars going 85 MPH plus.  That scenario is extremely unlikely in fog season.

That third lane on 99 makes all the difference. I can't think of another highway where the lane discipline is worse than I-5, people just camping in the left lane continuously, no matter if the right lane is open or not.  Unless you are traveling in the wee hours of the night, it's nearly impossible to maintain a fixed speed for more than a few miles without encountering this behavior.