A fog-laden Dubai road greets motorists. Kamal Kassim/Gulf Today

Emad Eddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

Fog blanketed some of the interior areas of the UAE on Friday morning, and lasted for five and a half hours. It started at midnight and continued until 5.30am, due to a surface air depression with a high air extension in the upper atmosphere.

Fog started to form on the Abu Dhabi - Dubai road “Ghantoot - Saih Sedira” and on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Road. Intermittent fog started to form on Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Street in Abu Dhabi, on Al Nouf towards the port in the Al Dhafra area, on Al Dhafra military airport, on Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai, on Abu Dhabi International Airport, on Al Bateen Airport, on Dubai International Airport, on Sharjah International Airport, on Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Road “Ras Al Khaimah - Umm Al Quwain”, on Al Qudra Street, on Jebel Ali-Lehbab, and on Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Street in Dubai.

The lowest temperature in the country, 5.6°C, was recorded at 7.30am on Friday at Jabal Mebreh in Ras Al Khaimah.

Some regions witnessed strong northwesterly winds, sometimes at a speed of 60km/h, stirring dust, which sometimes resulted in a decrease in the horizontal visibility to less than 1,000 metres, in some coastal and inland areas.

The sea was also turbulent and very turbulent at times, with waves reaching a height of 6-8/10 feet deep in the Arabian Gulf.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) affirmed that the peak of the fog ended. The centre expected the blowing of winds which would turn from the northwest to the northeast, stirring dust, and leading to a decrease in the horizontal visibility in some areas, especially the open areas in the eastern regions.

The NCM expects the formation of light fog again on Monday and Tuesday.

On Thursday, Abu Dhabi Police activated a system of reducing speeds to 80 km/h, on Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road “Al Sameeh - Dubai”, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Road “Abu Dhabi - Dubai”, on Saih Shuaib Road “Truck Road” on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road “Al Nouf –Al Mirfa “, on Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road” Abu Dhabi - Dubai “, on Abu Dhabi - Al Ain Road” Sweihan - Al Hayer “, on Abu Dhabi - Al Ain Road” and on Al Ain “Mafraq - Al Khazna”.

The centre expected Friday’s weather to be dusty and partly cloudy at times, with temperatures dropping from 5 to 8 degrees in some areas.

Winds are expected to be northwesterly, moderate to active and strong on the sea, turning to northeasterly to the east and north in the evening, stirring dust, at a speed ranging between 20 to 35 up to 55km/h at sea, especially during the day.

The sea will be very turbulent to turbulent in the Arabian Gulf and turbulent in the Sea of Oman.

An earlier report said an Asian national died and 8 people were injured in a 19-vehicle pile-up in the Maqatara area “towards Al Mafraq” in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday morning.

The accident occurred due to distraction from traffic on the road and not keeping sufficient space between vehicles when there was poor visibility due to fog.

The Abu Dhabi Police called for caution while driving, and not be preoccupied while doing so, especially during early hours when fog formation takes place to avoid accidents.

The police also urged motorists to follow up on traffic bulletins, emphasising the importance of adhering to safe driving and the speed limits set on the roads in these circumstances.

The Abu Dhabi Police urged motorists to practise safe driving during the expected foggy weather conditions in the coming days.

Motorists are also required to adhere to a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour during periods of fog, noting that speed limits on the electronic road signs change according to weather conditions.

Heavy fog blanketed separate areas of the UAE on Tuesday morning and lasted for 11 hours. It started at 11pm on Monday, and continued until 10am on Tuesday, due to high surface air depression, accompanied by a high air extension in the upper layers of the atmosphere.