13 April 2023

What are the effects of High Pressure on the UK?

Why is Mr Rogers happy about the weekend?

Pressure systems

• The UK has been affected by High Pressure for the past 3 weeks.

• Known as an anticyclone

Effectssummer

Effects winter

What weather does high pressure bring?

An anticyclone is a weather system associated with ‘high pressure’ and are caused when cool air sinking to earth putting a lot of pressure or weight on the earths surface is high. Anticyclones bring different weather to the British Isles depending on whether it is Summer or Winter but is always fine and settled. When an anticyclone is established over our country it can remain in place for a long period of time—often affecting the whole country but unfortunately anticyclones are not that common!

Because the air is sinking it is unable to pick up moisture through evaporation so rain rarely happens during an anticyclone! Winds are very light and blow in an clockwise direction.

In the summer:Anticyclones are often responsible for heatwaves in the summer as they bring hot and sunny conditions to the country and then do not move for several days.

Because there are very few clouds the days are warm and sunny but the same clear skies make the nights very cold as the daytime heat escapes straight back into the atmosphere.

In the winter:Temperatures are very low because of the sun’s low angle in the sky but it is, however, very sunny and there are still no clouds. These cloudless skies allow any heat from the sun to escape back into the atmosphere during the evening making the nights very cold and often frosty. The difference between the temperatures during the day and night see condensation at ground level and fogs are also common.