California, 2023

Dense Fog in California, February 8, 2023

February 8, 2023 · NWS HNX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Clear skies and light winds made for favorable conditions for fog to develop once again in the San Joaquin Valley and a strip of fog formed near the center portion of the valley toward daybreak which impacted travel along SR 99 in the Merced and Visalia areas as well as along SR 198 between Visalia and Hanford. The fog dissipated by late morning.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS HNX wrote it up.

Clear skies and light winds made for favorable conditions for fog to develop once again in the San Joaquin Valley and a strip of fog formed near the center portion of the valley toward daybreak which impacted travel along SR 99 in the Merced and Visalia areas as well as along SR 198 between Visalia and Hanford. The fog dissipated by late morning.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

3 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.

Dense Fog, Merced-Madera-Mendota

When
February 8, 4:35 AM PST to 8:53 AM PST
Where
Merced-Madera-Mendota forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
37.056, -120.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility below a quarter mile was reported in Atwater and Merced. Several webcams showed visibility below 1000 feet.

Dense Fog, Visalia - Porterville - Reedley

When
February 8, 4:50 AM PST to 7:30 AM PST
Where
Visalia - Porterville - Reedley forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
36.489, -119.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility below a quarter mile was reported in Visalia. Several webcams showed visibility below 1000 feet.

Dense Fog, Hanford - Corcoran - Lemoore

When
February 8, 7:10 AM PST to 8:25 AM PST
Where
Hanford - Corcoran - Lemoore forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
36.351, -119.421 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Visibility below a quarter mile was reported in Hanford.

What these are

Dense Fog
Fog reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less, filed where it caused accidents or disruption.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in California in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in California, February 2023

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1068654, 1068656, 1068655.