Thick fog clings on across UK with commuters warned to expect disruption
A yellow weather warning for fog has been issued across large parts of the UK, bringing severe travel disruptions and plummeting visibility.
Thick fog has descended across large swathes of the United Kingdom, lingering well into the morning and prompting widespread warnings for commuters to prepare for significant travel delays.
A yellow weather warning for fog remains in active place. The advisory stretches geographically from York down to Bath while covering the majority of eastern England and the South East. According to the Met Office, difficult travel conditions are affecting transport networks, with visibility plummeting to 50 metres or less in multiple locations.
Media additions
Commuters relying on bus and train networks face potential delays, while travelers using aviation links have been cautioned that flight cancellations are possible.
Meteorological experts attribute the severe low-lying cloud cover to seasonal atmospheric shifts. Met Office operational meteorologist Niamh Murray explained that the current weather parameters create the perfect recipe
for dense fog formation.
"With autumn and winter and getting fog during this time of year, we get much longer nights, and that allows temperatures to fall away."
Niamh Murray, Met Office operational meteorologist, via Press Association
Murray elaborated on the mechanics behind the phenomenon, noting that the seasonal transition provides an extended period of cooling alongside much lower temperatures. These combined factors bring the air much closer to the saturation point required for fog to develop.
"We get a longer period of cooling and also the temperatures are much lower, so they’re much closer to the temperature that we need for the air to become saturated and therefore form fog. Another thing that we need to form fog is quite light winds, not absolutely no winds. We just have the perfect recipe at the moment: light winds, clear skies, long nights, to allow that fog to develop. And particularly if we see the negative numbers (temperature in degrees Celsius), it can quite stubborn to clear the next day."
Niamh Murray, Met Office operational meteorologist, via Press Association
The hazardous visibility levels arrive directly in the wake of a major road incident over the weekend. A multi-vehicle collision involving more than 30 vehicles unfolded in thick fog conditions on Saturday evening.
The severe pile-up forced authorities to close the M20 in Kent in both directions between junction 8 and junction 9 near Maidstone. The motorway closure lasted for nearly 12 hours and left two people seriously injured.
Automotive organizations have renewed urgent safety appeals to motorists navigating low-lying cloud cover and reduced visibility on affected routes. AA president Edmund King warned that fog can radically alter driving conditions almost instantly.
"Fog can transform a familiar road in a matter of minutes, so drivers need to be prepared to adapt their speed and leave more room between themselves and the vehicle ahead."
Edmund King, AA president, via Press Association
King further cautioned motorists against relying entirely on the vehicle ahead, identifying common driving errors made during low-visibility incidents.
"One of the biggest mistakes is simply following the rear lights of the car in front. It can give you a false sense of security and means you may be travelling too close to react safely if that vehicle suddenly stops. Ultimately, there’s no prize for arriving a few minutes early. Give yourself extra time, slow down and drive to what you can actually see ahead."
Edmund King, AA president, via Press Association
The Met Office yellow weather warning for fog remains in place until 11am, with authorities monitoring transport conditions as commuters navigate the lingering low-lying cloud.
