Explanation: Changing climate to blame for dense fog says DG met dept
Says air pollution and low temperatures also contributing to the intensity of fog.
Commuters travel during a cold and foggy morning. Foggy weather in Punjab and other parts of the country has badly affected flight and rail schedules. PHOTO: AFP, MUHAMMAD JAVAID/ EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
The changing climate is partly to be blamed for the thick fog encompassing the various parts of the country, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director General (DG) Arif Mehmood said on Tuesday.
The other two reasons are air pollution and high humidity coupled with low temperatures, he added.
The twin cities were enveloped in thick fog Monday night and Tuesday morning, with visibility as low as 20 metres, effectively paralysing the city. Both M1 and M2, connecting Islamabad to Peshawar and Lahore respectively, had to be shut down on Monday night, National Highways & Motorway Police Spokesperson Javed Chaudhry said. He said the M1’s section between Islamabad and Burhan was closed at 6pm and M2 was closed at 10pm. Both highways were opened on Tuesday morning.
Chaudhry added that even though no major accidents was reported during the fog, they advise commuters to travel on the motorway between 10am and 6pm, when the fog density is lower.
The air traffic was also disrupted, with over 24 international and domestic flights being cancelled on Monday night, according to an official working for the Civil Aviation Authority. The flights were rescheduled for Tuesday.
DG Mehmood said the fogs in previous years was less in duration. “We have past records of intense fog like this but their duration was less, about four to six hours a day. [The fog this year] has increased up to 18 to 22 hours [in some regions],” he said. Mehmood had earlier said on January 2 that the intensity of the fog this year was about the same as previous years.
The lower minimum temperatures this year are not helping matters, he said, adding that they expect rain on Friday, which will help mitigate the fog.
According to the PMD, foggy and cold weather conditions are likely to continue over plain areas of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2013.
The changing climate is partly to be blamed for the thick fog encompassing the various parts of the country, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Director General (DG) Arif Mehmood said on Tuesday.
The other two reasons are air pollution and high humidity coupled with low temperatures, he added.
The twin cities were enveloped in thick fog Monday night and Tuesday morning, with visibility as low as 20 metres, effectively paralysing the city. Both M1 and M2, connecting Islamabad to Peshawar and Lahore respectively, had to be shut down on Monday night, National Highways & Motorway Police Spokesperson Javed Chaudhry said. He said the M1’s section between Islamabad and Burhan was closed at 6pm and M2 was closed at 10pm. Both highways were opened on Tuesday morning.
Chaudhry added that even though no major accidents was reported during the fog, they advise commuters to travel on the motorway between 10am and 6pm, when the fog density is lower.
The air traffic was also disrupted, with over 24 international and domestic flights being cancelled on Monday night, according to an official working for the Civil Aviation Authority. The flights were rescheduled for Tuesday.
Commuters travel during a cold and foggy morning. Foggy weather in Punjab and other parts of the country has badly affected flight and rail schedules. PHOTO: AFP, MUHAMMAD JAVAID/ EXPRESS
DG Mehmood said the fogs in previous years was less in duration. “We have past records of intense fog like this but their duration was less, about four to six hours a day. [The fog this year] has increased up to 18 to 22 hours [in some regions],” he said. Mehmood had earlier said on January 2 that the intensity of the fog this year was about the same as previous years.
The lower minimum temperatures this year are not helping matters, he said, adding that they expect rain on Friday, which will help mitigate the fog.
According to the PMD, foggy and cold weather conditions are likely to continue over plain areas of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2013.