Dubai - Motorists have also been cautioned to drive carefully on the roads due to poor visibility.
Published: Fri 29 Mar 2019, 9:40 PM
Last updated: Sat 30 Mar 2019, 10:33 AM
Thick fog has disrupted several flights at Dubai International Airport on Friday morning.
"Fog has affected some flights from Dubai International Airport," the Emirates airlines said in a statement on Twitter.
Emirates has also urged passengers to check their flight status on its website for the latest information regarding their flights.
Thick fog was reported in different parts to the country, including Dubai, Al Dhafrah area, Al Shawamekh in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) cautioned commuters to be extra careful when travelling during these conditions.
The unstable weather the country has been experiencing in the past couple of days is due to a trough of low atmospheric pressure, resulting in rainfall of different intensities over scattered areas of the country, the NCM said in its forecast.
Meanwhile, the rest of the day is expected to be humid and cloudy, according to the NCM. The humidity will be between 60 to 90 percent in the coast and 50 to 85 per cent in the internal areas.
Winds will be light to moderate for the most part, but they may become fresh during day time, with a speed of 20 - 30, sometimes even reaching 38 Km/h. The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman Sea.
The temperature in the internal areas will be between 23 to 29 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will be at 8 degrees Celsius in the mountains.
In the coastal areas, the temperature will range between 22 to 25 degrees Celsius with a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius.
Rain to continue till weekend
If you have plans to spend some time outdoors this weekend, don't forget to pack your umbrellas and other protective gear as there is a chance of light to moderate showers until Saturday, according to the UAE weather bureau.
Following a night of thunderstorm and rain lashing most parts of the country on Wednesday, Dubai residents woke up to dark skies on Thursday. People going to work had to face light showers as they set out for the day.
On Wednesday, the Jumeirah area in Dubai recorded the second highest amount of rainfall at 11.6mm while Abu Dhabi's Ras Ghanada was the wettest after receiving 12mm of rain.
Heavy traffic was reported on major thoroughfares and the Dubai Police said that 110 traffic accidents were reported due to the heavy rain in the emirate from Wednesday 12 noon until 10am on Thursday.
The Dubai Police also received as many as 3,385 emergency calls but there were no serious injuries. "We have urged motorists to keep a safe distance between cars and adjust their speed to the weather conditions. They are also advised to allow extra time for their journey and check their planned route. It's also highly advisable to slow down as rain makes roads slippery," Colonel Turki bin Fares, director of command and control centre at the Dubai Police, said.
Based on Khaleej Times' monitoring, the country has been receiving rain since the last six months, with February's average rainfall of 9mm higher than the 5.6mm recorded in the same month last year.
angel@khaleejtimes.com
Simple steps motorists must take when driving in the rain
> When visibility is down, slow down, be attentive and up the distance
> Increase the distance between vehicles to a minimum of 5 seconds
> Consider longer breaking distances if road surface is wet or slippery
> Turn on the lights: Low beam headlights, front and rear fog lights
> In rain, reduce your speed to avoid hydroplaning
> Use your windscreen wipers properly (and maintain them properly!)
> Concentrate and do not get distracted by your passengers, phone or other things
> Listen to radio for traffic updates
> Care for others, especially for 'weaker' traffic participants like motorcycle riders, cyclists and pedestrians
> Ask your co-travellers to help keep an eye out for oncoming cars and obstacles on the road
> Stay in your lane and don't drift.
Source: RoadSafetyUAE
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