Dubai: Residents across the UAE faced yet another morning of thick fog as visibility on the roads dropped down to less than 500 metres on Monday.
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) December 25, 2017
In its daily weather forecast, the National Centre of Meteorology explained that the bad weather affected many parts of the country, and issued an orange alert.
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) December 24, 2017
The orange alert was made to caution residents over hazardous weather, and will continue until 11am on Monday, when the fog is expected to significantly disappear.
Earlier in the morning, heavy fog was also recorded over Abu Dhabi airport, Al Bateen airport and Ras Al Khaimah airport.
Visibility also dropped to 50 metres at times over the northern emirates, Sharjah, and parts of Dubai.
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) December 24, 2017
More fog is expected to fall down across the country on Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday, as the level of humidity is also expected to rise up to 95 per cent in the internal and coastal areas.
Fog was reported on major highways and reduced road visibility in many areas, including Dubai, Sharjah, Dubai-Al Ain Road, and the Al Ain-Abu Dhabi Road.
Speaking to Gulf News, an NCM spokesperson urged residents to follow traffic rules and any instructions by police.
"The fog will continue tonight until tomorrow evening and then will return on Wednesday morning. On Friday, it is expected to be slightly less heavy," a spokesperson from NCM said.
Flights disrupted
Meanwhile, weather conditions on Sunday night continued to disrupt flights, with 10 flights from Dubai and Sharjah airports diverted to Ras Al Khaimah airport due to the fog.
Residents also took to social networking sites to share videos of the blanket of fog that covered the country at night.
The UAE’s Storm Centre posted an online video of the early morning, accompanied with the caption: “Thick fog in the north of Al Ain City.”
الإمارات: ضباب كثيف شمال مدينة العين ، بعدسة احمد فكري #مركز_العاصفة pic.twitter.com/Dhmao9vfDX
— مركز العاصفة (@Storm_centre) December 24, 2017
The waves at sea is expected to be moderate over the next two days.
Rough weather ahead until Friday
UAE residents need to brace themselves for some winter chills as the weather in the forthcoming week is likely to be windy and hazy.
NCM forecasts early morning fog and mist formation over scattered areas and cloudy skies and humidity at night from Monday to Friday.
Towards New Year’s eve the fog would have subsided, the NCM forecast.
This week, expect light to moderate winds, with a speed reaching 30 km/hr at times. On Tuesday evening residents can brace themselves for a particularly windy time, especially towards the west and over the sea.
The Arabian Gulf will be rough beginning on Tuesday evening and the Oman sea is also likely to have choppy waves. Fishermen are advised to avoid going out to the Arabian Gulf as the sea is likely to be moderately rough by December 29.
With inputs from Mariam M. Al Serkal, Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary and Huda Tabrez
