Britain is in the grip of ‘anticyclonic gloom’
Britain is stuck in the grip of a phenomenon known as “anticyclonic gloom”, the Met Office has said.
Dull, grey weather over the past week has been caused by high air pressure, or an anticyclone, which has trapped a layer of moisture near to the earth’s surface, causing low cloud to descend across the UK.
This low cloud has brought mist and fog and is unlikely to lift until next week, meaning that Britons are facing a prolonged period of dull weather.
Sunshine cannot break through the cloud, while fronts of rain are blocked by the high pressure.
The last day with widespread sunshine across the UK was Oct 27.
The Met Office confirmed the phenomenon in a social media post, in which it said: “This week’s weather phrase: Anticyclonic Gloom.”
In response, one X user said the weather conditions felt “claustrophobic” as they could not see the sky, while another said the weather was “depressingly dull”.
As the high pressure persists, the low cloud will re-thicken overnight as temperatures drop and moisture condenses, which can lead to poorer air quality in cities as pollutants build.
The high pressure is set to last until at least the end of next week, according to the Met Office.
In the summer, high pressure often leads to warm, dry and sunny days with light winds. However, in autumn and winter, it can result in anticyclonic gloom.
As well as a lack of sunshine and rain, the phenomenon has also caused wind speeds to plummet.
In Germany, this is known as Dunkelflaute – which translates roughly as “dark wind lull” – and has sent wind power generation tumbling in the UK, Germany and other parts of northern Europe.
On Tuesday, it meant wind farms were only able to meet 3-4 per cent of the UK’s electricity demand during the morning and evening peaks, with gas-fired plants instead fired up to meet about 60 per cent of demand.
Alex Deakin, a Met Office forecaster, said that high pressure would “continue to dominate throughout next week” before the anticyclonic gloom lifted.
He said: “Later next week, it looks like turning more unsettled for a time, with some rain or showers, particularly towards the east.
“After a possible brief, drier spell next weekend, it may become largely unsettled during the following week.
‘Winds will be mainly light for many parts early next week, but breezier conditions seem likely to develop from later next week.
“Temperatures will be near or a little above average at first, but will tend to drop a little below average later.”