Drivers across the UAE are being told to prepare for several more foggy mornings. The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has warned that mist and fog could form until at least Thursday.
The warning follows a difficult Sunday in the capital. Dense fog covered parts of Abu Dhabi that morning, cutting visibility on major roads. Abu Dhabi Police responded by lowering speed limits to 80kph on key routes and urged drivers to follow the limits displayed on electronic road signs.
What the forecast says
In its latest five-day bulletin, the NCM said there was a “probability” of mist and fog forming until at least Thursday. Conditions are expected to be more challenging during morning commutes this week.
The pattern has been building for days. The NCM issued red and yellow alerts on Friday after a sharp drop in visibility, and further high-level alerts covered Saturday and Sunday. Daytime weather has remained generally fair to partly cloudy, with highs around 42°C in the major cities. Overnight humidity is what triggers the fog, with lows in the mid-to-high 20s Celsius.
Last week showed how quickly it can disrupt travel. On Wednesday morning, dense fog slowed traffic on several major roads in Abu Dhabi, including the E11, E22 and E75, and Abu Dhabi Police issued a fresh caution to motorists.
Why fog is returning
September marks a change in the UAE’s weather. Summer days remain hot, but nights are starting to cool. As temperatures ease, the air near the ground comes closer to its dew point, and humidity that has built up over the summer condenses into mist and fog. Earlier this month the NCM reported relative humidity rising to around 90 per cent overnight in coastal and inland areas.
That is why fog is usually most likely in the hours before sunrise and tends to clear as the sun warms the ground, typically by mid-morning.
The rules on reduced speed limits
Abu Dhabi Police have enforced reduced speed limits during hazardous weather since April 2019. The measure applies in heavy rain, sandstorms and fog. The temporary limits appear on electronic signboards and are also announced on social media.
Penalties are significant. A driver who exceeds the limit by up to 10kph faces a fine of Dh300 (about $81.6). The fine doubles for those who exceed it by up to 20kph, and penalties rise with the size of the violation. In the most serious cases, vehicles can be seized.
Advice for drivers
Authorities have repeatedly given the same guidance during fog episodes, and it applies again this week:
- Slow down and follow the variable speed limits shown on road signs
- Keep a safe distance from the car ahead
- Use headlights in low visibility
- Avoid sudden lane changes
- Allow extra time for morning journeys
Police in Dubai and Sharjah, as well as the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, regularly issue traffic alerts during fog. Residents who commute between emirates, especially on the Abu Dhabi–Dubai and Abu Dhabi–Al Ain routes, may want to check live traffic and official channels before leaving.
What to expect
Fog in the UAE is a seasonal and short-lived hazard. It generally lifts as the day warms, and conditions from mid-morning are fair. The risk is concentrated in the early hours, when many people are on the road for work and school.
Forecasters expect the risk to persist through the week, and the NCM will continue to update its bulletins. The safest approach for now is to treat every early-morning journey as one that may need extra time and extra care.
