Dust replaces fog as cause of dangerous driving conditions
Motorists told to take extra care as temperatures rise and a sandy haze reduces visibility
Winter came to an abrupt end as temperatures rose sharply and, yesterday, weeks of fog gave way to the arrival of dust and haze.
After a long, cold winter and despite predictions that the cooler weather was here to stay this week, jackets and hoodies came off as temperatures hit highs of 34°C.
The heavy, intermittent fog that caused low visibility and dangerous driving conditions in the past few months lifted, only for strong winds to stir up dust and sand, causing low visibility and dangerous driving conditions.
Drivers were told by police to take extra care on the roads, watch out for sand build-ups and not to use their mobile phones or take pictures.
People with respiratory conditions were also urged to take extra precautions.
The National Centre of Meteorology said that winds across the country reached speeds of 45 kilometres per hour and that strong winds could cause rough seas in the Arabian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. Waves of two metres and above were expected offshore.
“The unstable weather is caused by low pressure that pushed strong south-easterly winds across the country,” said Abdul Aziz Al Jabri, a forecaster at the NCM.
In a reminder of the importance of driving safely in reduced visibility, the haze came after a spate of accidents caused by the fog. Last Thursday, Dubai Police received 564 accident reports and 3,564 emergency calls.
On the same day, nine people were injured in an accident involving 28 vehicles.
The accident happened on Emirates Road, when heavy fog in places across the country reduced visibility to less than 50 metres in some areas.
Two days previously, 44 vehicles collided in heavy fog outside Abu Dhabi city on the new E311 road – which is named Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road on the Dubai section and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Road on the Abu Dhabi stretch – more than 20 people were injured in the crash, which was videoed by a member of the public and widely viewed on social media.
A lorry driver whose vehicle was captured ploughing into a line of traffic after the initial pile-up was later arrested on suspicion of endangering motorists’ lives.
Abu Dhabi Police said that the man drove recklessly, ignored severe weather conditions and caused a major accident.
Brig Ali Al Dhaheri, director general of Central Operations, said the driver put lives at risk.
Flights were not affected by yesterday’s weather conditions, a duty officer at Abu Dhabi International Airport told The National.
Humidity was expected to increase overnight and into the early hours of today in some inland and coastal areas. Forecasters said the strong winds were likely to move towards the south and Saudi Arabia.