The United Arab Emirates issued red and yellow fog alerts on Friday, warning of a deterioration in horizontal visibility across parts of the country’s north, including areas of Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) said visibility could drop at times over some coastal areas, “especially northward,” and cautioned motorists and residents to exercise care until 9 a.m. local time. “Deterioration in horizontal visibility, which may drop even further at times over some coastal areas especially northward until 9am today,” the NCM said in an advisory.
The color-coded notices signal heightened vigilance in locations prone to early-morning fog formation when light winds and high humidity prevail. The NCM said relative humidity would increase again by Friday night and into Saturday morning, particularly over coastal and inland areas, maintaining conditions favorable for fog and mist.
Daytime temperatures were forecast to reach 35 to 39 degrees Celsius (95 to 102 Fahrenheit) over coastal and island regions, with overnight lows of 25 to 30 C (77 to 86 F). The agency expects light to moderate winds at 15–25 km/h, gusting to 35 km/h at times, which could stir blowing dust and sand and briefly reduce visibility in exposed areas.
Humidity is predicted to be high along the coast, ranging from 70% to 90%, and at similar levels inland, the NCM said. In mountainous regions, relative humidity is likely to range from 50% to 70%. Elevated moisture, combined with radiational cooling overnight, commonly leads to fog formation over the Emirates during seasonal transitions.
Sea conditions will be slight to moderate in both the Arabian Gulf and the Oman Sea, according to the forecast. Maritime authorities and small-craft operators typically advise caution in patches of reduced visibility offshore, although broader sea-state conditions are expected to remain generally manageable.
Authorities in the UAE often urge motorists to slow down, maintain safe following distances and heed variable speed limits on major highways during fog. Reduced visibility can disrupt morning commutes and occasionally affect flight operations at airports across the country when low-lying cloud banks persist. There were no immediate reports of significant disruption early on Friday.
Fog and mist are common in the UAE’s autumn and winter months, particularly in the northern emirates and interior, where clear skies, calm winds and moisture advection from the Gulf can trigger rapid visibility drops before sunrise. The NCM’s alert system is designed to prompt precautionary measures, especially on routes linking industrial zones, ports and airports in the northern corridor.
The latest advisory comes as the wider Gulf region transitions from peak summer heat to milder conditions, a period marked by stronger diurnal temperature swings and frequent nocturnal humidity spikes. While daytime heat remains intense by global standards, forecasters expect the risk of early-morning fog to persist intermittently in the coming weeks, especially following humid nights with light winds.
The NCM said it would continue to monitor conditions and urged residents to follow official channels for updates. Drivers and outdoor workers were advised to plan around potential low-visibility windows at daybreak and to allow extra travel time where fog forms.
