Thick fog disrupts UK travel as fresh weather warning issued

Thick fog has disrupted travel across large areas of the UK on Monday 9 November, with a further Met Office yellow warning extending the risk of delays on roads, railways and at airports into Tuesday morning.

Fresh fog warning stretches from Wales to South East England

Publicly available information from the Met Office shows a new yellow warning for fog in force from 6pm on Monday 9 November until 10am on Tuesday 10 November. The warning zone arcs from parts of Wales across central England into eastern counties and sections of the South East, covering a densely populated travel corridor where millions of journeys are typically made on a weekday.

The warning follows an earlier overnight alert that was active from Sunday evening into Monday morning for much of central England and Wales. Forecast guidance indicates that light winds and clear skies are helping fog to form and persist, with some locations expected to see visibility fall below 100 metres at times during the night.

The Met Office’s national severe weather warning system indicates that the latest alert is intended to highlight a risk of slower journey times by road and rail, potential delays or cancellations to flights, and short-notice changes to local public transport timetables. Travellers are being advised through public channels to allow extra time, check for updates before setting out and be prepared for conditions to vary sharply over short distances.

According to published coverage from UK media, the fog has been particularly widespread across areas south of Manchester, including the Midlands, parts of East Anglia and swathes of southern England, with patches lingering well into the late morning where sunshine has struggled to break through.

Road networks hit after multi-vehicle collision in Kent

Road travel has been among the worst affected modes. Over the weekend, reports indicate that a section of the M20 motorway in Kent was closed after a collision involving more than 30 vehicles in thick fog on Saturday evening. UK news outlets describe two people as seriously injured in the incident, which triggered long tailbacks and forced diversions onto local routes.

Images shared by national and regional media on Monday show dense, low-lying fog along other key arteries, including stretches of the M40 near Warwick services and several A-roads in the English Midlands. Motorists have described visibility dropping suddenly from clear conditions to near-whiteout over just a few hundred metres, creating challenging driving conditions during the morning peak.

Highways advice circulating through public information channels highlights the importance of using dipped headlights and fog lights where visibility is severely reduced, while maintaining lower speeds and greater stopping distances. With a second period of fog expected overnight, drivers planning early starts on Tuesday are being urged via transport bulletins to monitor conditions and consider delaying non-essential journeys if visibility remains poor.

Local bus operators across affected regions have also warned of possible delays, with some services already reported running behind schedule on Monday morning because of slower traffic and reduced speeds on rural routes.

Flight schedules and rail services face knock-on delays

Air travel has not been spared. Coverage from UK outlets indicates that flights at London Heathrow experienced disruption on Monday morning, with low visibility operations in place and knock-on delays for both arrivals and departures. Fog has also affected other airports within the warning area, including hubs in the Midlands and eastern England that sit beneath the thickest of the cloud.

While many flights have continued to operate under low-visibility procedures, reduced runway capacity can lead to holding patterns, diversions or cancellations when conditions are at their worst. Airlines and airports have been advising passengers through their usual public channels to check the status of services before travelling and to allow additional time for transfers, given the impact of slower road traffic around terminals.

On the rail network, the fog has so far caused fewer outright cancellations, but publicly available live updates show some services running at reduced speeds in affected corridors. In particular, slower running has been reported on sections of main lines passing through the Midlands and Home Counties, as signalling staff and drivers respond to the lower visibility and slippery rails following recent rain.

Industry information suggests that further minor delays remain possible during the Tuesday morning peak, especially on routes crossing low-lying river valleys and open countryside where thick fog is most likely to linger longest after dawn.

What the weather pattern means for the week ahead

In a briefing released on Monday, the Met Office notes that persistent high pressure has settled over the UK, bringing light winds and clear skies that favour overnight fog formation. Forecasters explain that weak early November sunshine limits the fog’s ability to disperse quickly, keeping conditions murky well into the day in some areas before clearer, colder weather arrives.

The latest outlook points to fog and low cloud gradually giving way to colder, drier air later in the week, with an increasing risk of overnight frost, particularly in northern and central parts of the UK. As the high pressure system shifts position, more unsettled conditions with rain and stronger winds may move in from the Atlantic towards the weekend, which could reduce the fog risk but introduce a different set of travel challenges.

Guidance for local authorities and transport operators, set out in Met Office community resilience material, emphasises that even yellow-level fog warnings can significantly disrupt daily life. The advice underlines that road and rail closures, slower journey times and difficulty accessing community facilities are all recognised impacts when visibility falls sharply, especially during commuting periods and school runs.

For travellers planning journeys later in the week, the evolving forecast suggests keeping an eye on updated warnings as the pattern transitions from fog and low cloud to clearer but colder conditions. Those connecting through major hubs in England and Wales may face further early-morning disruption if patches of dense fog reform before the colder, breezier air arrives.

Practical advice for travellers navigating the fog

For those already on the move, publicly available travel guidance recommends building in additional time and flexibility. Motorists are urged to check real-time information from national and local road networks, keep fuel tanks topped up in case of delays and ensure that windscreen washers and lights are working effectively before setting out.

Rail passengers can reduce the risk of missed connections by using journey planners shortly before departure and considering earlier services where possible on routes passing through the warning area. Because dense fog can cause localised disruption rather than uniform conditions, some lines may be less affected than parallel road routes, making rail a more reliable option for certain journeys.

Air travellers with departures or arrivals scheduled at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, Stansted and regional airports within the warning zone are being encouraged via airline and airport channels to reconfirm flight times and check in online where possible. Early-morning departures on Tuesday remain the most exposed to thick fog, but late-evening flights on Monday could also face slower turnarounds if inbound services are delayed.

With the Met Office signalling that the current run of foggy conditions is likely to ease later in the week as colder, clearer air develops, the next 24 hours appear to be the most critical period for UK travellers. Staying alert to updated forecasts and operator notices will be key for anyone hoping to keep their plans on track while the fog persists.