emirates7 - What was first a clear camping night soon became a misty scene, with people struggling to see just a few metres ahead
A calm desert night turned into a surprising experience for campers as thick fog covered parts of Dubai's Half Desert, reducing visibility to almost zero in the early hours of the morning.
By around 1.30am, the fog had slowly rolled in, covering the sand dunes and nearby roads. What was first a clear camping night soon became a misty scene, with people struggling to see just a few metres ahead.
Among those camping was Mohammed Ardashir, an Iranian resident, who had come with a group of friends to spend the night in the desert. The group had set up their camp earlier in the evening, expecting a peaceful night under the stars. Instead, they woke up to a thick white fog surrounding them.
“It felt unreal. At one point, we could barely see the next tent. The desert looked completely different, almost like it was wrapped in clouds,” said Mohammed, adding that they come to the desert often, but this was the first time they saw it like this.
For the group, the fog made everything quiet and calm. “It was like the desert was sleeping. We decided to stay because it felt safe to camp. Sitting there, drinking tea and watching the fog move around the tents was actually very peaceful.”
As the fog grew denser, the group decided to stay on rather than risk driving in such low visibility. Sitting around their camp, they watched the mist move slowly across the dunes, turning the familiar desert landscape into something rare and unusual.
“You couldn’t see far, but that made the experience even more special. It felt calm, cold, and very different from a normal desert night.”
However, not everyone, chose to stay back.
Another camper, Mantuf Khan, had also arrived at Half Desert with his group to enjoy an overnight trip. But as visibility continued to drop, they decided it was safer to leave.
“We were surprised by how quickly the fog came in,” Mantuf said. “At first, it looked beautiful, but then it became very thick.”
By around 4.30am, Mantuf and his group began their drive back. The journey, however, was slow and careful. With visibility extremely low, they reduced their speed to below 30km per hour and switched on their hazard lights to stay visible to other vehicles.
“There were moments when we could barely see the road,” he said. “Everyone was driving very slowly. Safety was the only focus.”
The fog remained heavy on desert roads during the early morning hours, making driving difficult for campers heading back home. Many relied on hazard lights and maintained long distances between vehicles to avoid any sudden braking.
While fog is not unusual during winter months, such dense mist in desert camping areas is still rare and unexpected for many residents. For some, it became a memorable experience worth talking about.
Shahnawaz Khan, a caretaker at one of the camps in the desert, said that such weather conditions is not unusual during winter. “This kind of fog usually happens for a few nights in December and January. Sometimes, it continues for two or three nights. It may stay over the weekend as well,” he said.
A calm desert night turned into a surprising experience for campers as thick fog covered parts of Dubai's Half Desert, reducing visibility to almost zero in the early hours of the morning.
By around 1.30am, the fog had slowly rolled in, covering the sand dunes and nearby roads. What was first a clear camping night soon became a misty scene, with people struggling to see just a few metres ahead.
Among those camping was Mohammed Ardashir, an Iranian resident, who had come with a group of friends to spend the night in the desert. The group had set up their camp earlier in the evening, expecting a peaceful night under the stars. Instead, they woke up to a thick white fog surrounding them.
“It felt unreal. At one point, we could barely see the next tent. The desert looked completely different, almost like it was wrapped in clouds,” said Mohammed, adding that they come to the desert often, but this was the first time they saw it like this.
For the group, the fog made everything quiet and calm. “It was like the desert was sleeping. We decided to stay because it felt safe to camp. Sitting there, drinking tea and watching the fog move around the tents was actually very peaceful.”
As the fog grew denser, the group decided to stay on rather than risk driving in such low visibility. Sitting around their camp, they watched the mist move slowly across the dunes, turning the familiar desert landscape into something rare and unusual.
“You couldn’t see far, but that made the experience even more special. It felt calm, cold, and very different from a normal desert night.”
However, not everyone, chose to stay back.
Another camper, Mantuf Khan, had also arrived at Half Desert with his group to enjoy an overnight trip. But as visibility continued to drop, they decided it was safer to leave.
“We were surprised by how quickly the fog came in,” Mantuf said. “At first, it looked beautiful, but then it became very thick.”
By around 4.30am, Mantuf and his group began their drive back. The journey, however, was slow and careful. With visibility extremely low, they reduced their speed to below 30km per hour and switched on their hazard lights to stay visible to other vehicles.
“There were moments when we could barely see the road,” he said. “Everyone was driving very slowly. Safety was the only focus.”
The fog remained heavy on desert roads during the early morning hours, making driving difficult for campers heading back home. Many relied on hazard lights and maintained long distances between vehicles to avoid any sudden braking.
While fog is not unusual during winter months, such dense mist in desert camping areas is still rare and unexpected for many residents. For some, it became a memorable experience worth talking about.
Shahnawaz Khan, a caretaker at one of the camps in the desert, said that such weather conditions is not unusual during winter. “This kind of fog usually happens for a few nights in December and January. Sometimes, it continues for two or three nights. It may stay over the weekend as well,” he said.