The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for fog across large parts of England and Wales, with forecasters urging Britons to consider amending their travel plans.
The warning came into effect at 8pm on Wednesday and will remain in place until 11am on Thursday, covering the morning rush hour.
The alert spans from Devon and Dorset on the south coast up towards the north-east of England, with meteorologists warning of significant travel disruption.
Forecasters have cautioned that the dense fog could lead to delays on motorways and public transport, with possible cancellations to flights and ferry services.
There is a warning for heavy fog in the coming days
Met Office/PA
The warning comes as visibility in affected areas is expected to drop dramatically overnight.
The Met Office said: “Areas of fog will continue to develop through Wednesday evening and overnight and, in places, will be dense with visibility below 100m.”
Whilst some fog will thin and lift into low cloud across parts of southern England and the southeast Midlands by dawn, forecasters warn it is likely to persist elsewhere.
A corridor of dense fog is expected to stretch from southwest England through the rest of the Midlands to Lincolnshire and Yorkshire until late morning.
The warning impacts major population centres across the country, with cities like Birmingham and Nottingham bracing for difficult conditions during the morning commute.
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The morning rush hour will be affected
PA
The Met Office has urged drivers to check road conditions and consider amending their plans if necessary to avoid delays.
“Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, leaving extra journey time, or amending plans if necessary,” the weather service advised.
Motorists have been specifically warned about the hazardous driving conditions expected during the warning period.
The weather agency emphasised the importance of staying informed, stating: “Be prepared for weather warnings to change: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.”
Earlier this evening, Southend United’s non-league fixture against Boston United was abandoned due to heavy fog. The National League game kicked off under heavy fog in Lincolnshire.
A spokesperson from Southend added: “Tonight’s game against Boston United has been abandoned due to the fog. Safe trip home to every Shrimper who made the journey tonight.”
Boston United confirmed: “Tonight’s fixture has been abandoned due to fog. A new date will be communicated in due course. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
