UAE braces for up to 20 foggy days in March, forecasters warn

Dubai: The UAE could see fog forming on more than 20 days next month, making March the peak period for the weather phenomenon, forecasters said, urging motorists to heed official warnings.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) issued alerts over the likelihood of fog over the next three days, warning that horizontal visibility may deteriorate significantly and could fall to near zero at times, particularly in some internal areas.

Ibrahim Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society and a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, said humidity levels typically remain high between early October and mid-March, frequently exceeding 85 per cent.

Fog is most likely to form when humidity in the lower atmosphere surpasses 90 per cent, usually during the late night and early morning hours as surface temperatures drop.

He said desert inland areas and coastal regions are particularly prone to fog formation, while stronger surface winds reduce the likelihood of its development.

Fog can cut visibility to less than 100 metres and, in some cases, lead to a complete loss of visibility, posing risks to motorists and potentially disrupting air traffic.

Abu Dhabi Police had activated reduced speed limits on several major highways, urging drivers to limit speeds to no more than 80 km/h during fog and to maintain safe distances between vehicles.

Authorities also advised against using high-beam headlights, which can reflect off fog and further impair visibility.