Weather and climate change

Headline:

Mainly cloudy with spells of rain spreading north.

Today:

A grey, rather gloomy day with widespread cloud low enough to give mist and hill fog widely across higher ground. Outbreaks of rain and drizzle spread northwest, heavier and more persistent in the southwest. Feeling mild for many.

Tonight:

Remaining damp and murky for many with further outbreaks of rain and patchy mist and hill fog. Becoming drier from the southeast by dawn. Mild away from remote rural spots.

Monday:

Another cloudy day for many with widely low cloud and further outbreaks of rain, these heavy in places. Drier in the south with some bright spells developing by the afternoon.

Outlook for Tuesday to Thursday:

Remaining mostly cloudy through the next few days, though mainly settled under the influence of high pressure. A few spots of rain at times. Becoming colder come Christmas Day.

Updated: 04:00 (UTC) on Sun 21 Dec 2025

Continued mostly settled conditions expected, as high pressure builds to the north of the UK. This will bring a strengthening easterly then northeasterly wind over the period, with wind-chill making it feel colder. Whilst there will be a fair amount of dry weather, a few showers will still be possible, particularly across eastern and southern parts which may be wintry in places, more especially over high ground. High pressure will likely dominate the weather in the run up to the New Year, slowly drifting to the west. This will maintain largely settled conditions, although with an increasing chance of showery conditions later in the period. Temperatures will be below average much of the time, with frost likely where clear skies and light winds prevail.

Updated: 14:00 (UTC) on Sat 20 Dec 2025

High pressure will probably be close to the UK at the start of this period, perhaps most likely centered to the west, and whilst this may allow relatively settled and dry conditions with a risk of frost and fog initially, there will be the chance of some occasional wet weather at times, perhaps more especially in the north and east. Given some relatively cold air close to the UK, this may bring the chance of some wintry hazards in places. Towards mid-month, there is the potential for rather more changeable conditions to develop more widely, although confidence in this aspect of the forecast is currently low.

Updated: 15:00 (UTC) on Sat 20 Dec 2025