Heavy fog engulfed parts of the country for over 9 hours on Thursday.

Maitha Al Ketbi, Staff Reporter

Fog blanketed some coastal and inland areas of the country for 9 and a half hours on Thursday morning, starting from 12 at midnight until 9:00am, with the extension of a surface air elevation in the upper layers of the atmosphere.

Fog started to form on Al Hayar and Al faqa in Al Ain, on Sweihan and Antoot in Abu Dhabi, on Dubai-Al Ain Road/Al Ajban Abu Dhabi, on Al Ain International Airport Al Shuwaib, Nahil Road in Al Ain, on Al Maktoum Airport in Dubai, on Al Madam and Maliha in Sharjah,

The lowest temperature in the country,9.2°C, was recorded at 05:45am on Thursday in Mezaira'a in Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) expected Friday’s weather to be generally partly cloudy with the formation of clouds in the east which could be cumulus in the afternoon, becoming cloudy in the west at night, with the possibility of rainfall and a gradual rise in temperatures.

The weather will be humid at night and on Saturday morning over some coastal areas, with the possibility of light fog formation, NCM expected.

Winds will be southeasterly to northeasterly and northwesterly, light to moderate, sometimes brisk, at a speed of 10 to 15, amounting to 35 kilometres/h, and the sea will be light in the Arabian Gulf and in the Sea of Oman, according to the NCM.

The NCM also expected that Saturday and Sunday weather will be partly cloudy in general, with the possibility of some cumulus clouds in the east in the afternoon and sometimes cloudy in the west with a chance of rainfall.

It will be humid at night and on Sunday morning in some coastal areas, NCM reported. Winds will be southeasterly to northeasterly and northwesterly, light to moderate, brisk at times, stirring dust, at a speed of 10 to 20, amounting to 35 kilometres/h, and the sea will be light in the Arabian Gulf and in the Sea of Oman.

According to the NCM. NCM appealed to road users and motorists to take caution and follow traffic instructions during the formation of fog and low horizontal visibility on some inland and coastal areas.

On Thursday, the Abu Dhabi Police activated the system of reducing speeds to 80 kilometres on the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road, (Truck Bridge – Al Hayar), (Al Bidaa – Nahil Road), (Al Sadd Bridge – Abu Dhabi), Mohammed Bin Rashid Road (Al Falah Bridge – Seih Shuaib) and Al Ain Road – Dubai.

It also appealed to drivers to abide by the speed limits on the signs and electronic information boards on the emirate's roads in times of fog formation.