Thick Fogs Blanket Sydney, Causes Flight Delays

By Staff, Agencies

Heavy fog blanketed Sydney on Saturday [June 8] morning, delaying flights, creating hazards for shipping and setting social media ablaze with moody photographs of disappearing landmarks.

Ships had to use their foghorns for safety as they navigated out of the busy Sydney Harbor waterway to the open ocean.

Light winds in Sydney pushed the fog from the western suburbs — where it was initially thickest — towards the city and eastern suburbs, including Sydney Airport in Mascot.

Recent rain has been a major contributor, increasing the moisture required for fog formation.

The ample moisture, light winds and low temperatures produced a blanket of fog that reduced visibility to just a few hundred meters in many Sydney suburbs.

Reports suggest visibility at the airport has dropped below 500 meters at times — low enough to cause flight delays and even some diversions.

Passengers posting on social media were reporting flight delays of two hours.

The Bureau of Meteorology has also issued a surf and swell warning for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating, and swimming.