Rick Gunn/Nevada Appeal An antenna ornament, above, is covered with pogonip Wednesday morning. Above left, fog fills the valley below Geiger Grade on Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service predicts dense fog north of Carson City through Friday. Drivers should watch for slick and icy patches on bridges and overpasses on the Highway 395 corridor.
Northern Nevada remained strangled in an icy cloak of frozen fog that caused dangerous driving conditions, numerous accidents, and airport delays for the third day in a row.
Visibility was nil early Wednesday in many low-lying areas along the Highway 395 corridor between Reno and Gardnerville. Even through towns, business signs along the highway glowed eerily in the pre-dawn darkness and could barely be seen through the milky haze of ice crystals.
"For the most part, the fog is very, very thick," said Trooper Chuck Allen of the Nevada Highway Patrol. "It's probably the worst it's been all week."
Poor visibility as a result of the fog was blamed in two Douglas County school bus crashes during the morning route.
No children were injured.
"The initial bus was between Highway 88 and Foothill on Centerville and somebody ran into the rear. There were no children on board and our driver was not injured," said Rick Kester, director of business services for the Douglas County School District.
"The second bus we sent out to take up for the first bus was turning off Centerville onto Foothill, and somebody ran into it. There were four kids on the bus, but there were no injuries."
Kester said neither of the drivers were at fault, but said the second bus - which was part of a nationwide recall of Carpenter buses - will be totaled.
By midmorning, officers had responded to numerous car accidents in the area, though there were no serious injuries.
A freezing-fog advisory remained in effect for all of Northern Nevada - from the Eastern Sierra slopes to Elko - until noon, with a warning issued in southern Lyon County.
Forecasters said thick, morning fog would continue to plague the region the rest of the week.
At Reno-Tahoe International Airport, some flights were able to take off, but many others were delayed or canceled.
Preliminary Damage Assessment teams are evaluating damage from recent storms to determine what state and federal aid is available, Gov. Kenny Guinn said Wednesday.
"I am confident the assessments made by the teams will provide the necessary information so that the maximum assistance will be made available to our communities in need," Guinn said.
Southern Nevada was hit will extensive flooding while Northern Nevada suffered from severe snowstorms.
Damage assessments should be completed by the end of the week, Guinn said.
Contact the Appeal newsroom at editor@nevadaappeal.com.
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