Earlier this week, a dense fog blanketed Doha and other parts of Qatar, and it is said to have caused by a phenomenon that happened once in two-three years, a senior official said.
Besides morning and evening, thick fog was seen in Doha and other places even in the afternoon.
Abdullah Mohamed al-Mannai, director of the Meteorology Department at the Civil Aviation Authority, told the official Qatar News Agency (QNA) that it was highly likely January would witness similar fog formations, however, those would not be as intense as the recent ones.
The Met department, tweeted saying that ‘settled weather’ is expected during the weekend, signaling an end to the foggy spell experienced in the country since Sunday. The conditions resulted in a sharp drop in visibility at a number of places, leading to slow movement of vehicles and prompting the authorities to issue safe-driving tips.
In an attempt to explain the intense fog, al-Mannai said that the outcome of conditions involving a high-pressure area, easterly winds and lower temperatures. This combination led to increased humidity at sea and on the shore, which eventually caused the fog. He added that December and January are the two months that see the maximum fog formation, particularly late at night and early in the morning.
On driving safely in foggy weather, he said the Met department and Ministry of Interior co-operated in issuing guidelines on how to do so. These include using low-beam lights, maintaining adequate distance, reducing the speed and using the wipers.
Yesterday, meanwhile, traffic was slow on many roads in the early hours as Qatar experienced another foggy morning. “Widespread” fog was reported from most parts of the country early in the morning along with zero visibility at times, according to the Met department.
Global warming effect:
Abdullah Mohamed al-Mannai, director of the Meteorology Department, said that global warming has affected the change witnessed in Qatar’s weather this year. He also added that industrial advancements and reliance on fossil fuels such as coal have increased carbon dioxide levels and ultimately led to a rise in temperatures.
