Sunless gloom set to lift early next week

The “anticyclonic gloom” which which has left some places in the UK with virtually no sunshine for more than a week is set to clear from Sunday, according to forecasters.

As dramatic weather events have hit the headlines across the world, Britain’s meteorological talking point has been the windless, rainless, sunless murk which has enveloped much of the country since the beginning of the month.

Forecasters have dubbed the conditions “anticyclonic gloom” and the Met Office says the phenomenon has led to the UK experiencing, on average, only three hours of sunshine in the whole of the seven days up to Thursday.

And, with Scotland and the far north of England seeing slightly more of the sun than the rest of the country, people living in the south of England have seen just one hour of sunshine, on average, since the month started, Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said.

Mr Dixon said “atmospheric gloom” is when “high pressure traps a layer of moisture near to the earth’s surface and that brings a prolonged period of dull and cloudy weather, but with pockets of mist and fog as well”.

He said: “We’ve been locked into this weather pattern for a few days now and we’ve got a bit more of it to come. However, there is a change on the way, with brighter skies early next week.”

Mr Dixon said the “atmospheric gloom” is “unusual but not unheard of”, but has meant that the UK has so-far had only 5% of the average sunshine expected for the month of November, compared with the 23% expected at this stage in the month.

ITV weather presenter Becky Mantin said early November’s stagnant weather “is creating a staggering lack of sunshine”.

She said: “For some, there has been no respite at all – Odiham in Hampshire has recorded zero minutes of sunshine so far this November.

“Wales takes the unenviable second place spot with an average of just 12 minutes! Forty eight minutes recorded in Northern Ireland and only a touch more in southern England with 54 minutes.”

Mr Dixon said: “By the time we get to Sunday, we start to see this change on the way, with fronts moving in from the north-west bringing periods of rain to the west of Scotland through Sunday.

“But it also allows a change of air mass across the UK which invites another area of high pressure from the west – but, this time, with much less cloud on it.”

Mr Dixon said: “What it means for the UK’s weather is that, by Monday, it’s looking like a widely dry and fine day for many with good spells of sunshine, albeit with a touch more patchy cloud in the north of the country.

“But, for the vast majority, a dry and fine day for many with some sunshine, which will feel like it’s much needed after the recent week.”

Mr Dixon said “it’s not all settled in the outlook”, saying further cloud and rain is expected, especially in northern areas, from Wednesday.