'Today Dubai looks like this': Sheikh Hamdan posts amazing footage of city blanketed in fog

The Crown Prince of Dubai shared his view of the UAE from above the clouds

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With its mega-tall structures, the UAE is ripe for some incredible scenes when the fog rolls in.

And, now that we are in the season of change between summer and winter, the time has come to draw back the curtains in the morning and find that much of the cityscape has disappeared under a white blanket.

If you live on a high floor in the Downtown Dubai or Dubai Marina area, you might just be in for a visual treat - and that was the case on Saturday morning.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, marked the arriving of the fog with a dramatic video taken above the cloud-line while approaching Burj Khalifa.

He captioned his Instagram footage with a message saying: "Today Dubai looks like this #goodmorning."

Other residents, who were under the cloud cover, also took to social media to share images and videos amid the gloomy morning.

Fog alerts were issued by the National Center of Meteorology for areas across the emirate, including Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport. Some flight departures and arrivals were affected by the weather at DXB.

Reduced visibility was also reported over the Northern Emirates and Abu Dhabi.

Temperatures are predicted to hit 35°C in the afternoon, with moderate winds across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Fog in the UAE - explained

Ninety-five per cent of the country's fog is radiation fog. It most commonly forms between mid-December and the end of March, aided by clear skies and calm conditions.

The cooling of the Arabian Sea by thermal radiation overnight brings air temperatures close to the surface of the water down. This then reduces the air’s ability to hold moisture, allowing condensation to form and resulting in low cloud or fog.

But this fog is not just limited to coastal areas. Sometimes the same fog forms inland caused by temperature radiation from the land due to lower temperatures there during the late night and early morning. It can also take longer to lift.

The UAE has averaged 132 days of fog a year since 2006.