0:00:02 > 0:00:04As ever we'll try to give you as much
0:00:04 > 0:00:07detail as we can about the run-up to Christmas itself
0:00:07 > 0:00:11and then later on in this show we'll have a look at some
0:00:11 > 0:00:13of the trends we could expect to see
0:00:13 > 0:00:14right through the Christmas period.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16That's some way off.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Let's start with the detail and with a ridge of high pressure
0:00:19 > 0:00:23dominating the scene in the first part of the week.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Certainly it will do us for Monday and Tuesday
0:00:26 > 0:00:28but it doesn't come without its problems.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30It's a decent enough day once we get rid of the early
0:00:30 > 0:00:32frost across central and eastern parts.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Could be a bit of fog in the mix, some of that quite dense.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37But that ridge not doing enough to keep
0:00:37 > 0:00:39the fronts at bay from the far north of Scotland.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Milder here certainly but wet and windy.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Further south and east you've got some dry,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47fine weather to be had but it's on the cool side and we maintain that
0:00:47 > 0:00:51cool theme as we get on through the night between Monday and Tuesday.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53But my real concern is not the temperatures,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55it's the extent of the fog.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59That's why even at this distance we're highlighting
0:00:59 > 0:01:01a number of areas that could be very badly affected,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03not just for the morning rush hour.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07It is that time of year that once it forms on certain days it
0:01:07 > 0:01:09just doesn't clear.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10Mild enough across western exposures,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I don't think you'll see much fog here.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Some low cloud certainly and some drizzle as well.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Temperatures 11-12 but in the east particularly
0:01:18 > 0:01:21if you hold on to that fog, which you could do all day,
0:01:21 > 0:01:25five, six, seven degrees, maybe lower.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Come Wednesday we're just pushing this weather front down
0:01:27 > 0:01:29and through that area of high pressure.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31This will be the first, perhaps for some,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34the only meaningful rain of the week.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Behind it the skies begin to clear, Generally speaking,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39because of the flow coming in from the west
0:01:39 > 0:01:42and south-west it's another mild day for the time of year.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45We've already highlighted a number of themes that we'll see
0:01:45 > 0:01:48repeated through the week. It will be mainly dry but cloudy.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Always mildest out towards the west.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54But please remember some of those mornings and on into the afternoon
0:01:54 > 0:01:58in a number of locations that fog could be really dense and linger.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03Same weather front dragging its way slowly into the southern
0:02:03 > 0:02:06portion of the British Isles as we start the second half of the week.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Pretty dank, miserable affair here I'm afraid.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Further north a chance of brightness.
0:02:11 > 0:02:12Could be a chilly start for some.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Maybe a little mist and fog returning as well.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Single figure temperatures here quite widely.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20Across the south, yes, still relatively mild
0:02:20 > 0:02:24but little in the way of sunshine until we push that front away.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Build in the high pressure gives a settled look to Friday
0:02:27 > 0:02:29but fronts trying to get
0:02:29 > 0:02:31into the west on a noticeable west to
0:02:31 > 0:02:34south-westerly breeze. Keeping it mild.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40Here we go towards the weekend and into the Christmas period itself.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43We suspect the most likely set-up is this one.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46High pressure trying to hang on down towards the south.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49But an area of low pressure further north could generate a mild
0:02:49 > 0:02:50south-westerly flow.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54That's if we keep the low pressures for the most part away
0:02:54 > 0:02:57towards the north-western quarter of the British Isles.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00But should it slip away towards the north-east,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03that will allow us to end up on the western flank, particularly on the
0:03:03 > 0:03:06northern half of the British Isles of that low pressure
0:03:06 > 0:03:09and that allows a feed of relatively cold air to
0:03:09 > 0:03:11get into the northern parts of the British Isles.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15So we have two likely scenarios to take us through the weekend
0:03:15 > 0:03:20before Christmas, through Christmas Day and into the rest of the week.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Most likely mild, it could turn briefly colder in the north.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Some of those lows could be quite vigorous
0:03:25 > 0:03:28so it could turn for some really wet and windy.