A fog warning across Britain has brought difficult travel conditions, with visibility expected to fall to 50 metres or less in places and disruption reported at airports, rail stations and on roads.
The Met Office warning covers much of south-east and eastern England, stretching from York to Bath, and remains in force until 11am on Monday. Bus and train delays are possible, while some flights have already been cancelled.
By 6.30am, seven flights from Heathrow and three from London City Airport had been called off because of poor visibility.
Niamh Murray, an operational meteorologist at the Met Office, said the conditions were the “perfect recipe” for fog, with light winds, clear skies and long autumn and winter nights allowing temperatures to drop.
“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,” she said.
Ms Murray added that the fog could be “quite stubborn to clear the next day” if temperatures fell below zero. She said fog could also occur outside the warning area, although it might be “just not quite as dense or as impactful”.
Warnings for drivers as visibility falls
Drivers have been urged to use fog lights when visibility drops below 100 metres and to adjust their speed to the conditions.
AA president Edmund King warned that following the rear lights of another vehicle could create a false sense of security and leave drivers too close to react if it stopped suddenly.
“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,” he said.
The warning follows a fatal crash in fog on Sunday, in which a woman died and four people were injured. Two BMWs collided between Warmington and Elton on the A605 at about 1.30am, before a Kia Ceed struck one of the stationary cars.
On Saturday, more than 30 vehicles were involved in a crash in thick fog on the M20 in Kent. Two people were seriously injured and part of the motorway was closed.
Further disruption affected the capital’s rail network during the morning rush hour. Canary Wharf station was closed after an escalator fault, while a trackside fire at Hanger Lane temporarily shut part of the Central line.
