Updated at 1:30pm with reports of rain in northern Qatar
Qatar forecasters are warning residents to drive safe this week as high humidity causes foggy conditions at night and in the early mornings.
In a statement, the Qatar Meteorology Department (MET) said visibility may drop to 1km or less along the western coast and central areas of the country.
❗️إستمرار فُرص الضباب على #قطر اليومين القادمين،
يرجى توخي الحذر ومتابعة المستجدات في ظل هذه الظروف الجوية pic.twitter.com/Q8MOrVgrtf
— أرصاد قطر (@qatarweather) October 25, 2016
Many on the roads have already noticed drivers using their hazard lights while navigating the fog.
Previously, officials have strongly cautioned against this, as it may cause unnecessary braking on the roads.
Instead, drivers should use their fog lights and proceed with caution during times of low visibility.
‘Rainy’ season
Last week marked the beginning of the “Wasmi” season in Qatar.
This means the country will see increased rainfall in the coming two months, which help certain plants grow, the MET said.
However, don’t expect any rain yet, says Steff Gaulter, senior meteorologist for Al Jazeera English.
Speaking to Doha News, she said the chance of rain in the next few days is pretty minimal – “going to have to keep waiting for now.”
UPDATE: There was some rain spotted today in the northern part of Qatar, but central Doha remained pretty dry:
📌فيديو من أحد متابعينا الكرام قبل قليل في ( الشحانية )
اللهم صيباً نافعاً pic.twitter.com/cSmMj7UKNC
— أرصاد قطر (@qatarweather) October 26, 2016
This will give government entities time to prepare for rain, as advised by the MET, to avoid past troubles with flooding from reoccurring.
The precipitation also brings with it falling temperatures. Forecasters said that by the end of October, temps should range between 30C and 35C during the day.
Thoughts?