Motorists urged to drive carefully as seasonal fog creates hazards

Dubai: Motorists have been warned to take extra care this morning as heavy fog is expected following similar weather on Thursday.

Visibility plunged to as little as 100 metres in Dubai, creating hazardous conditions as people drove in to work and causing several flights to be diverted.

The fog started to form at about 5am and persisted for several hours, although by mid-morning visibility was back to normal.

As well as Dubai, Sharjah and Al Ain also saw visibility fall significantly yesterday morning.

Hamed Nasser, a duty forecaster at Dubai International Airport, said winds from the north-west bringing in moisture were to blame for the heavy fog.

"The wind brought some moisture onto the land. I think it will continue for one or two days.

"I am expecting the same situation on Friday morning as we had on Thursday morning," said Nasser, adding that motorists would have to take extra care due to the poor visibility on the roads.

Shamma Lootah, media relations and communications manager at Dubai International Airport, said a total of 11 outbound and incoming flights operated by Emirates, PIA and British Airways were affected by the weather. Incoming flights were diverted to Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Ras Al Khaimah airports when the fog was at its heaviest, before later flying on to Dubai.

The temperature during the foggy period yesterday was about 22C, which is in fact about 2C higher than the average minimum temperature for November, so the fog could not be blamed on unusually cool conditions.

At times the fog was quite low to the ground so that some of Dubai's skyscrapers rose through it to enjoy clearer skies further up.

Yesterday's weather, although dramatic to look at, was not unusual for November, which is known as a foggy month.

Typically there will be several days in November with fog.

The maximum temperature expected today in Dubai is 32C and the minimum forecast is 22C.

250 accidents reported

Dubai Police reported more than 250 accidents during the foggy weather conditions, which resulted in seven injuries yesterday morning.

The Dubai Police Command and Control Room reported 251 accidents in the early hours of Thursday morning during the fog on separate roads of Dubai.

Seven people sustained minor to moderate injuries as a result of the accidents.

Major Mohammad Ebrahim, Duty Officer at the Command and Control Room, said the accidents took place as a result of speeding, not abiding by the traffic rules and not leaving enough space between vehicles.

He called on motorists to abide by the traffic laws during foggy weather and leave enough space between vehicles.

Major Ebrahim called on motorists to drive carefully, especially during variable weather conditions.