Dense fog blankets Kenai Peninsula highways two mornings running

Dense fog reduced visibility to one-quarter mile along the Sterling Highway for two consecutive mornings, creating hazardous driving conditions for drivers on the western Kenai Peninsula.

The National Weather Service issued advisories beginning at 2:35 AM Thursday and continuing through Friday morning as fog redeveloped overnight along the western Kenai Peninsula coast. The Thursday advisory covered the corridor from Soldotna and Nikiski south to Anchor Point and remained in effect until 9:00 AM. A second advisory was issued at 11:59 PM Thursday for Friday morning, followed by an updated advisory at 4:07 AM Friday. Both extended the southern reach to Homer as the fog band reformed along the same coastal route. The Friday advisories remained in effect until 9:00 AM.

The western Kenai Peninsula is influenced by marine air from Cook Inlet. When clear skies and light winds allow radiational cooling near the surface, early-morning fog can form along the coast and move inland.

The National Weather Service advised motorists to slow down, use headlights, and leave extra following distance. Multi-day dense fog events are less common on the Kenai Peninsula than in Southeast Alaska's coastal fjords.