Intense fog sweeps across UAE, slashing visibility on major highways
Motorists reminded to follow speed limits and maintain safe distances
Dubai: Fog began forming across parts of the UAE late night on Friday, reducing horizontal visibility on several roads, including stretches of the Abu Dhabi–Dubai highway, as motorists were urged to exercise caution.
The National Center of Meteorology warned of continued chances of fog and mist in coastal and some inland areas, noting that visibility could drop sharply and, at times, be near zero in isolated locations.
In a statement, Abu Dhabi Police called on motorists to exercise caution due to reduced visibility during the fog.
Drivers were urged to adhere to the changing speed limits displayed on electronic information boards and to drive safely, with Abu Dhabi Police stressing the importance of maintaining safe distances and avoiding sudden lane changes in low-visibility conditions.
In its latest forecast, the centre said conditions on Saturday would be generally fair to partly cloudy, with increased humidity overnight and into Sunday morning.
Light fog is expected to form over parts of the coast, driven by calm to moderate south-easterly and north-easterly winds. Sea conditions are forecast to remain slight in both the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
Sunday is expected to remain mostly fair with intermittent cloud cover, while humidity levels will again rise at night, increasing the likelihood of light fog across some inland areas. Winds are forecast to shift from south-easterly to north-westerly, strengthening in the evening and occasionally reaching speeds of up to 45 km/h, leading to moderate sea conditions.
A more pronounced change in the weather is forecast for Monday, with a noticeable drop in temperatures. The centre said conditions may become dusty at times, with strong north-westerly winds stirring up sand and reducing air quality over land. Fog or mist could reappear late at night and into early Tuesday across coastal and inland regions. Sea conditions are expected to become rough to very rough in the Arabian Gulf before gradually moderating.
By Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to rise slightly, with fair to partly cloudy skies, particularly in northern areas. Humid conditions are expected to persist overnight, with renewed chances of fog or light mist forming into Wednesday morning.
