Dubai, Abu Dhabi: Weathermen urged drivers to take all precautions and follow the traffic rules as thick fog blanketed most parts of the UAE, significantly affecting visibility and delaying several in-bound flights on Tuesday.
The morning fog affected passengers departing from Abu Dhabi International Airport with about a dozen outbound flights and 16 inbound flights delayed from 3am to 6am.
Meanwhile, at least eight in-bound flights to Sharjah from 6am to 9am were also delayed.
Passengers at Dubai International Airport also experienced a number of delays as various flights to Chandigarh, Addis Ababa, Seoul and Osaka were delayed from 3am-6am due to the thick fog.
Traffic jams were also reported across the main roads in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, most notably on Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed (MBZ) Road.
The first accident was reported at 6.55am near Dubai Investments Park, and was mainly attributed to the fog and the lack of distance kept between vehicles.
MBZ Road witnessed further traffic snarls after a large crash delayed motorists for one hour along from Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central towards MBZ Road.
Dubai Police said that the accident happened at around 7.30am, causing massive tailbacks along MBZ Road that was not cleared up until 8.20am.
Police also issued an alert to motorists to drive carefully during foggy weather, and cautioned against speeding and to keep a safe distance with the vehicles ahead.
In its latest weather update, the National Center of Meteorology (NCM) reported that horizontal visibility dropped over the Northern Emirates as well central and western UAE as thick fog started forming from around 2am, prompting weathermen to raise the amber alert.
Read more: 10 tips for driving safely in fog in the UAE
Residents were keen to snap photos of the weather, marking the first day of the foggy season.
Fog-affected areas include the UAE's northern coasts as well as the southwestern interior areas early on Tuesday, October 2.
Here's a time lapse of the fog in Dubai taken by our lensman Clint Egbert early on Tuesday, October 2. 2018.
The NCM reported that the thick fog started forming from about 2am, reducing visibility in Madinat Zayed in Abu Dhabi, Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai, the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, Al Minhad, Ajman, Sharjah as well as Dubai.
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) October 2, 2018
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) October 2, 2018
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) October 1, 2018
A yellow alert was earlier raised by UAE weathermen in several areas, with more foggy days expected as the cooler months start to set in.
— المركز الوطني للأرصاد (@NCMS_media) October 1, 2018
The weather forecast for Wednesday is expected to be fair in general, with some clouds to appear eastward. Light to moderate winds will blow across the country, causing blowing dust over exposed areas, especially during the daytime.
The relative humidity will increase at night and into Thursday early morning over coastal and internal areas.
The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in the Oman Sea.
