UAE weather: Thick fog for commuters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

The fog will clear mid-morning to leave a partly sunny day, with temperatures reaching up to 26°C in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai

A misty start to Thursday, February 6, 2020 in Abu Dhabi. Alan Griffin / The National
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Thick patches of fog blanketed parts of the UAE early on Thursday, making driving conditions difficult for early morning commuters.

Police in Abu Dhabi reduced the speed limit on motorways to 80kmph, notifying motorists of the change via SMS at around 7.15am.

The police force issued a tweet late on Wednesday warning drivers to follow the changing speed limits on interactive motorway signs, which were updated around the same time the SMS was issued.

The fog enveloped large swathes of Abu Dhabi, both inland and on the coast, with smaller patches forming in Dubai.

It is expected to break up by around 9am, according to the UAE's weather bureau, which issued an alert warning of the fog in the early hours.

The fog will clear to leave a partly sunny day, with a slight rise in temperatures, reaching a high of 26°C in Abu Dhabi and in Dubai.

However, there is a risk the fog and mist will return to some areas on the coast and inland again on Friday morning as relative humidity increases overnight.

The weekend will be fair to partly cloudy with a rise in temperature on Saturday, when the mercury could reach a high of 31°C, before dropping back to around 25°C on Monday.

Wind speeds may reach 36kmph by the coast and in the mountains.

It will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in the Sea of Oman.