Is the weather getting you down? You are not alone. Mist, fog, low cloud and a distinct lack of sunshine seems to be the norm so far this month.
It is mild for the time of year but it has typically been dull, grey and misty. While there was some rain in Scotland last weekend, for much of England and Wales, apart from drizzle and general dampness, the last time we saw any appreciable rainfall was on Monday 28 October.
The last day with widespread sunshine was the day before that, though a few weather stations recorded several hours of sunshine around Halloween.
High pressure, or an anticyclone, is currently influencing our weather.
Such areas of high pressure block rain-bearing fronts and often mean extended dry periods. In the summer this often leads to warm, dry and sunny days with light winds. In autumn and winter, while sunny, clearer days are possible, high pressure can also result in “anticyclonic gloom”.
This is when high pressure traps an area of moisture close to the surface of the Earth. The moisture forms low cloud, mist and fog, which then cannot lift and clear as the winds are so light and the sunshine at this time of year is so weak.
As the high persists, the low cloud continues to feed itself by re-thickening overnight as temperatures drop and moisture condenses. The quality of the air can also deteriorate as pollutants build, especially in cities.
Some parts of the country recorded no sunshine at all during the first week of November.
There is one part of the country that has fared much better than most, though. Eastern Scotland, sheltered by the Scottish mountains, has seen the cloud break up at times. On 3 November it was sunny all day in Leuchars, which is why this location is at the top of the sunshine chart below.
The jet stream, which is responsible for driving low pressure systems and weather fronts towards us from the Atlantic, is currently strengthening but remaining to the north of the UK.
Over the weekend a weather front encroaching from the Atlantic will bring some rain to northern and western areas of the UK. The front will weaken as pressure rises again on Sunday and the rain will die out.
Even though we start next with high pressure over the UK, this one looks like it will have less moisture and therefore less cloud and more sunshine.
This area of high pressure is not expected to be as dominant next week.
There could be some rain on Tuesday spreading in from the North Sea to mainly affect eastern areas. This rain will not last long but the high pressure could get pushed away with more force at the end of the week.
Some models are indicating a much colder north-westerly wind will bring a big change in the weather pattern at the start of next weekend.
That change is still a long way off but you can keep up to date with the weather where you are on the BBC Weather website or app.
