The mist will be missed as rain and gales return
IT IS farewell to those eerie mists and murk, interspersed with bright sunshine, of the past week. They make for great photographs of famous landmarks engulfed in what looks like steam but it can be a bit oppressive.
But a marked change last night will have seen this morning dawn with a familiar winter combination as wind and rain blow in from the west on a low-pressure system from the Atlantic.
The last of the high pressure that dominated last week disappeared off to Europe yesterday. In its place, a band of rain is passing west to east over the whole country.
While western parts should benefit from some sunshine in its wake, over in the east it will linger for most of the day. Mixed in with it is colder air and so daytime temperatures are going to tumble, though those overnight chills will be less severe.
The best of any warmth will be in the south east, with London at 11C (52F). A band from Norwich over to Cardiff and Plymouth in the south west should manage 10C (50F), Glasgow and Belfast 9C (48F), and exposed places on the west coast such as Liverpool will be down to just 8C (46F).
The working week will carry on with more of the same as low pressure keeps us in its grip. Sunshine, showers and a distinct nip in the air tomorrow will give way to a fresh band of rain and strong winds on Tuesday. The gusts could be potentially damaging in the south and west.
While milder temperatures are expected later in the week, rain is never far away, but at least it looks likely to come in manageable doses.
On the Catalan coast in northeastern Spain, by contrast, Storm Gloria brought freak conditions, with deluge after deluge. There was even snow in Malaga and mounds of sea foam – more robust than our early morning mists – blown into the streets and squares of coastal resorts.