FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — If you live in the Central Valley, you know that after rain comes fog.
Caltrans video shows the density on Highway 99 on Wednesday morning.
Foggy conditions were also spotted in rural communities, and California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Salas says it’s not a bad idea to refresh your memory on safety tips before hitting the road.
“Low beams, reduce your speed, always buckle up. If you don’t know or are unfamiliar with a roadway, it gives you an extra reason to slow down. You never know when those intersections are approaching you and for those of us taking our kids to school, that fog can be very treacherous,” said CHP Officer Mike Salas.
Several school districts took action, a pivot they are used to for the safety of their students, staff, and parents.
Every school district has its own policy in place, based on its needs.
At least seven districts delayed their school start, and two districts cancelled class for the day, including Mendota Unified School District in Fresno County and Oak Valley Union School District in Tulare County.
“Whenever we get rain, we get excited about the rain because we need it, and then we are like Oh yeah, here comes the fog,” said Oak Valley Union School District Superintendent Heather Pilgrim.
Superintendent Pilgrim says their school is in a rural part of town and that every foggy-day advisory is taken seriously.
She contacts staff who live in certain areas near the school to see what the fog looks like and hears from the Maintenance of Operations and Transportation Director about what they’re seeing before making a decision.
“What we go by is that the Highway Patrol requirements is that we have to be able to see 200 feet, the bus driver does,” said Pilgrim.
Visibility of 200 feet was not the case on Thursday morning, marking the first fog-related cancellation of the year.
Pilgrim says, while every year is different, the district has make-up days already incorporated into its calendar, but ultimately safety is always the top priority.
“We can’t educate our kids if they are not here on this earth and its more important to us that they get here safely,” said Pilgrim.
For news updates, follow Elisa Navarro on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Copyright © 2025 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.