Dense Fog Puts Brakes on Travel
Holiday travelers, beware: Dense fog has been causing headaches at John Wayne Airport this weekend, and weather forecasters expect the soupy stuff to hit coastal Orange County again tonight and Christmas morning.
Friday night’s thick fog forced several airlines to divert arriving planes from John Wayne to Ontario and Los Angeles airports. Passengers hoping to fly out of Orange County instead had to catch buses and depart from Los Angeles or Ontario.
“The fog rolled in and shut us down for the most part. We had zero visibility,” said Mickey Griffith, an Alaska Airlines supervisor.
Alaska diverted five incoming and two departing flights Friday night, then had to delay departing flights Saturday morning until diverted planes arrived, Griffith said.
The National Weather Service forecast dense fog again this morning, tonight and Christmas morning, particularly in coastal regions of Orange County. Once the fog burns off, Christmas weather should be fairly nice, with highs ranging from the mid-60s to mid-70s, according to forecasts.
In addition to delays of up to three hours for air travelers, fog created dangerous conditions on Orange County roads and freeways.
Police offered some basic tips for holiday travelers caught in fog while driving this weekend: Slow down and use your low-beam lights.
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