A weather warning was issued as dense fog engulfed parts of Abu Dhabi on Saturday morning, impairing visibility on the roads for early-morning commuters.
Abu Dhabi Police cut speed limits on a number of routes, including Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed International Road, the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road.
The fog was particularly severe in Yas Island, with drivers facing hazardous road conditions because of reduced visibility shortly after 8am.
The National Centre of Meteorology said that the adverse weather could lead to "zero visibility", in a weather warning in place until 10am on Saturday.
The low-lying fog appeared to be limited to areas of Abu Dhabi, with residents greeted by clear skies in Dubai.
It is the latest period of heavy fog to envelop the UAE's skies recently.
Last week, dozens of flights were cancelled in Dubai and drivers faced long delays, with visibility reduced to only a few metres in some cases.
The NCM said the foggy weather could persist across coastal and internal regions of the Emirates until Wednesday.
Driving safely in fog
Thomas Edelmann, managing director of Road Safety UAE, told The National last week that people drive too fast in fog. The organisation recommends that drivers slow down in poor visibility and Mr Edelmann said drivers should allow more time for their journey.
“Maybe they're going too fast because their initial planning is not good. It's all about being extra careful, about the time considerations,” he said.
“When we know it will take longer, normally we have to start earlier. We have to plan our trip better. Maybe we try to stay off the roads altogether, we wait until the forecast [for fog has] disappeared, or we ask our boss if we can work from home.
“People have a tendency to run late and they try to catch up on lost time on the roads, and this is especially dangerous in foggy conditions.”
