Thick fog blankets Dubai-Abu Dhabi road.

Emadeddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

Dense fog covered scattered areas in the capital, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday morning, as it lasted 3 hours from 6:15 am until 9:15 am, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) reported. This also prompted Abu Dhabi Police to reduce speeds to 80 km/h on several roads via the digitally controlled variable speed system in the emirate. In addition, a number of schools in Abu Dhabi stopped school bus trips due to dense fog.

This is because the country is being affected by a surface low-pressure system from the east and high pressure from the west, accompanied by an extension of an upper-air high-pressure system, the NCM explained.

Fog began to form on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, ICAD and Mussafah, and on different areas of Abu Dhabi Island, Yas Island, Saadiyat, Khalifa Street towards Jubail, Al Bateen Airport, and other areas, the NCM added.

The lowest temperature recorded in the country on Tuesday was 6.9°C in Ruknah, Al Ain, at 6:45 am, while the second lowest was 8.2°C in Damtha at 5:45 am.

The NCM appealed to road users and motorists to exercise caution and follow traffic instructions, during the fog formation and low visibility.

In the meantime, the Abu Dhabi Police called on drivers to be cautious due to low visibility during fog formation, and to adhere to the variable speed shown on the electronic signs, as the speed was reduced to 80 km on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed International Road (ICAD - Al Aryam Bridge.

Tuesday’s weather will be clear in general and partly cloudy at times while the temperature is likely to drop slightly and gradually, the NCM said, adding that the weather would be humid at night and on Wednesday morning in some inland areas with a chance of fog or light fog.

Light to moderate northwesterly winds will blow, turning gradually to active, especially offshore in the afternoon, at 10 to 25 and up to 40 km/h. The sea will have regular to moderate waves but may become rough gradually in the afternoon in the Arabian Gulf, while it will have regular to moderate waves but may become rough at night in the Sea of Oman.

Wednesday weather will be clear in general and partly cloudy at times but will be humid at night and on Thursday morning in some coastal and inland areas with a chance of light fog.

Light to moderate northwesterly   winds will blow, turning to active at times, especially offshore, at 15 to 30 and up to 40 km/h, while the sea will be rough in the Arabian Gulf and will have regular to moderate waves but may become rough at times, especially at night, in the Sea of Oman.

Thursday’s weather will be clear to partly cloudy and cloudy at times at night in the islands in the west but will be humid at night and on Friday morning in some coastal and inland areas.

Light to moderate northwesterly winds will blow, turning to active, especially offshore, while the sea will be rough in the Arabian Gulf but will have regular to moderate waves in the Sea of Oman.

Friday’s weather is expected to be partly cloudy to cloudy at times in some northern areas and the islands with a chance of drizzles. The weather, however, will be humid at night and on Saturday morning in some inland areas with a chance of light fog.

Light to moderate northwesterly winds will blow, turning to active, especially offshore, at 15 to 30 and up to 40 km/h, while the sea will be rough in the Arabian Gulf but will have regular to moderate waves in the Sea of Oman.

The Saturday’s weather is expected to be fair to partly cloudy at times with some clouds to form eastward with a probability of rainfall by afternoon. It is also expected to be humid by night and Sunday early morning with a probability of fog or mist formation over inland areas. The winds will be light to moderate, northwesterly to

Northeasterly, and freshening at times with a speed of 10 – 20 reaching up to 35 Km/hr. The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in the Sea of Oman.