Dry Halloween weekend ahead, but watch out for dense morning fog

Halloween weekend is shaping up to be largely dry for Birmingham, with high pressure bringing autumn sunshine, though dense fog could make for difficult travel on Saturday and Sunday mornings, according to the Met Office.

Saturday: fog first, then sunshine

Saturday will start foggy across much of England and Wales. A moist easterly airflow, combined with clearer skies under high pressure, is expected to allow widespread fog to form overnight. Some patches could be dense, particularly in rural areas, and visibility may be poor in the morning, so anyone travelling should allow extra time.

Most of the fog should gradually lift, and much of England and Wales should then have a dry and increasingly bright day, with plenty of autumn sunshine in the afternoon. It should feel pleasant in sheltered spots, with highs of around 14C or 15C possible, although anywhere the fog lingers will feel noticeably colder.

Trick-or-treating

The Met Office says conditions for trick-or-treaters on Saturday evening should be fairly benign in many areas, with much of England and Wales having a largely dry end to the day. Rain is likely to continue in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

With darkness falling and visibility potentially deteriorating, it is worth checking the latest local forecast before heading out. Further patches of dense fog are expected to form overnight, especially in rural areas prone to fog.

Sunday: chilly and grey in places

A weakening weather front will slowly move south overnight into Sunday. Some light rain or drizzle may affect northern England, but most places will have a dry start. Temperatures in many towns and cities are expected to be around 5C to 7C first thing, with lower values in the countryside.

Fog will again be a feature across southern parts of the UK, and some patches may be slow to clear. Through the afternoon the front will continue to edge south, bringing occasional spots of rain, though many areas will stay dry. Winds will turn northerly or north-easterly, bringing cooler air.

Next week

High pressure is expected to stay in charge into the start of next week, keeping days mainly dry and settled, with more fog likely at night and in the mornings.

The Met Office points out that large parts of England and Wales remain in drought or severe drought, so the dry spell will bring quieter weather rather than the sustained rain needed to ease those conditions.

Driving in fog

If you are driving in fog, use dipped headlights, slow down and leave a bigger gap to the vehicle in front. Use fog lights only when visibility drops below 100 metres, and switch them off when it improves.