'Anti-cyclonic gloom' grips Britain: Weather phenomenon brings grey and dull skies and no sunshine

Do YOU have a story? Email Sam.Lawley@okay1.co.uk Britain is currently in the grip of an 'anti-cyclonic gloom', a weather phenomenon...

• Do YOU have a story?Email Sam.Lawley@okay1.co.uk

Britain is currently in the grip of an 'anti-cyclonic gloom', a weather phenomenon bringing grey and dull skies across the country and no sunshine for days. 

The UK has been noticeably dreary during the first half of October and this looks set to continue with remarkable maps from the Met Office showing most of the country coated in cloud.

The thickest examples are expected across the Midlands, the east, and the southeast of England.

To make matters worse, the forecaster said they might be accompanied by drizzly showers breaking out across the country.

Temperatures remain comfortable for the time of year, mostly standing between 14 to 17C, with some areas including west Wales, parts of southwest England, and central and western Scotland enjoying 18 or 19C.

This dull weather is expected to stick around for some days yet, with Brits trapped in a globe of cloud and drizzle. 

It's all thanks to a 'persistent anti-cyclone', a high pressure weather system which has settled over the UK.

This has caused air to sink towards the ground, often bringing with it a thin layer of low cloud and even some rain.

The phenomenon can happen throughout the year, but while the sun can break through it in summer, the low cloud remains stubbornly in situ in autumn.

This brings overcast conditions, blocking out the sun, as well as warmer weather.

These can worsen overnight as moisture condenses and thickens the cloud.

And the gloom can also bring higher pollution levels as this can also become trapped within an atmospheric lid. 

Some areas of the country will get some relief from the dreariness, with areas on higher ground, such as the Pennines and Scottish mountains, poking above the cloud and enjoying some clearer air.

These areas have seen humidities as low as 4 per cent during the 'anti-cyclone'. 

The breaking cloud can leave gaps elsewhere, including nearby regions of west Wales, the southwest of England, and western Scotland.

The trend will remain until the weekend, although Thursday and Friday will see further breaks in the cloud, moving across the country, with the Met Office saying they are difficulty to predict. 

By Friday, wider areas of the south, western England, West Wales, and northern Scotland will enjoy clearer spells.

By Saturday, the high pressure will lose its grip on the UK, heading towards the North Sea and lifting the dome of cloud for many parts of the country.

Windy spells will come in from the south, bringing some welcome breeze and clear spells, heralding the exit of the mist and fog we have been seeing. 

It will be a dry day for much of the UK and these conditions will remain into the middle of the next week.

Weather fronts will start arriving from the Atlantic around the weekend, although areas of the far north might experience high pressure for longer. 

The Great Smog of 1952 was one of the most extreme examples of 'anti-cyclonic glooms' coating the country in overcast conditions.

It trapped the pollution within the layer of cloud, and is believed to have caused the deaths of thousands of people. 

Most recently, the phenomenon arrived in November 2024 and meant many parts of the UK saw no sunshine throughout this period. 

The system is most likely to hit the country in late autumn, winter or early spring.

Brits can count themselves somewhat lucky on this occasion, with the gloom often known to last weeks or even months. 

Read more

• What's causing the gloomy 'anticyclonic weather' that left the UK with virtually no sunshine for days?
• What is anticyclonic gloom and how is it leaving the UK under a blanket of endless grey skies?
• How has 'anticyclonic gloom' impacted the UK's sunshine levels this November, and when can brighter skies be expected?
• Is Britain stuck in an endless cycle of 'anticyclonic gloom' with no sunshine in sight for weeks?
• Could the UK's rare 'anticyclonic gloom' weather be the most depressing November spell we've ever seen?