Thick blanket of white fog enveloped the highways in several parts of the country, causing motorists to drive at a very slow pace on Wednesday morning. Visibility dropped to as low as 1,000 meters or less in certain areas, making driving treacherous. Some drivers had their hazard lights on, against the advice of experts and authorities. Expect traffic and delays during the morning rush hour today. The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) issued a red warning, urging motorists to exercise caution.
At 4:47 am, Abu Dhabi Police took action by sounding a blaring siren to warn motorists about the heavy fog. They not only advised caution but also implemented a dynamic speed control system, reducing the speed limit to 80 km/h on certain roads. Motorists were urged to stay vigilant and adhere to changing speed limits displayed on electronic information boards.
Although the sun was piercing through the fog, residents can expect fair conditions overall. However, humidity may increase by night and into Thursday morning, accompanied by a possibility of fog or mist in some coastal and internal regions. Winds will be light to moderate, with occasional freshening. Sea conditions will start off rough in the morning towards the west but will calm to moderate or slight in the Arabian Gulf and remain slight in the Oman Sea.
The Met Department reported 'slight' tremors felt by UAE residents after minor earthquakes struck the Oman Sea on Wednesday. An earthquake of 3.1 magnitude occurred near the coast of Ras Al Khaimah at 12:12 am, followed by another quake of 2.8 magnitude at 1:53 am. Both earthquakes occurred at a depth of 10km and did not have any effect in the UAE, according to the met department.
