Dense Fog — Buttonwillow- Lost Hills - I5, California

2024-01-06 · Buttonwillow- Lost Hills - I5, California

Event narrative

A Bakersfield television station reported a 35 vehicle accident (18 of the vehicles were tractor trailers) on southbound Interstate 5 just north of the SR 223 exchange around 730 PST. The accident resulted in two fatalities and 9 injuries. Visibility was below 500 feet at the time of the accident.

Wider weather episode

Some patches of dense fog formed in the south San Joaquin Valley during the morning of January 6. This resulted in impacts to travel along the SR 198 corridor between Visalia and Hanford and also along Interstate 5 west of Bakersfield where a 35 vehicle accident took place and resulted in two fatalities. The fog dissipated by late morning as strong mixing took place ahead of an incoming storm.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1146810. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.