Met Office issue 'gloomy' Halloween warning: Weather maps reveal where wind and rain will hit - throwing trick or treat plans into chaos
Halloween is set to be haunted by appropriately gloomy and grim weather this year - with forecasters warning of miserable weather 'perfect' for ghosts and ghouls but less so for trick-or-treaters.
The Met Office says this week will be appropriately miserable as the autumn weather hits its stride following a bright and sunny weekend.
Would-be sweet-seekers are advised to check ahead before going out in costume lest they find themselves caught up in blasts of wind and rain that will hit pockets of the country towards the end of the week.
The forecaster predicts heavy cloud will sit over Britain this week beneath high pressure along with some 'stubborn' fog in the mornings.
And a mass of rain moving in from the west will see some parts of Scotland hit with wet weather and gusty winds.
But while the rest of the country is dressed with overcast skies, there is some good news: temperatures will at least be in the mid teens.
DORSET: Clouds looming over Weymouth Harbour last week. Halloween this year is expected to be equally gloomy
LONDON: People cross the road on a miserable day in Wimbledon on Friday. Much of the country will face drizzle this week
Most of the UK will be covered with cloud this Halloween (left) while some parts of Scotland will see rain on Thursday night (right)
Parts of the country will experience gusts of 30mph and more - particularly in the Highlands (left) - but temperatures will generally sit around 13C (right)
Meteorologist Honor Criswick said: 'It's going to be a grey and gloomy week ahead - perfect for Halloween but not so much if you enjoyed the sunshine over the weekend.'
High pressure building over the country this week, combined with cloud and moisture, will bring settled but gloomy weather - though it will be breezier in Scotland, which will bear the brunt of the miserable conditions.
Today sees thick cloud move in along with drizzle, with temperatures hanging around the 15C mark.
Some of the dim weather will dissipate into Wednesday thanks to high pressure moving in from the west.
Ms Criswick added: 'There will be some foggy mornings at times - quite stubborn to clear, but brightening up through the course of the day.
'Heading into Thursday that high pressure is sticking around so it's fairly similar conditions. We may see a bit more rain spreading across Scotland at times (but it will be) a fairly weak feature.
'Elsewhere, it's still largely dry with very similar temperatures to Tuesday.'
'Plenty of gloomy weather if you're out trick or treating on Thursday,' Ms Criswick added.
Moving into the weekend post-trick or treat, the clouds will stick around, occasionally dispensing some drizzle.
It comes ahead of Halloween this Thursday - the culmination of so-called 'spooky season' that has seen celebrities turn out in all manner of costumes to mark the centuries' old festival remembering the dead.
Britain was facing a pumpkin shortage this year thanks to an unusual bout of wet weather at the peak of the growing season and an 'army of slugs', according to the National Trust.
Dorset's Kingston Lacy stately home, which has a large pumpkin patch, was among those to suffer as a result of the cold spring and wet summer.
The Met Office's Honor Criswick said the conditions would be 'perfect' for setting the mood this Halloween - but less so for those going out trick or treating
Pumpkins growing in Sissinghurst, Kent, earlier this year. Trick or treaters are likely to face gloomy conditions when they head out
Andrew Hunt, head gardener at Kingston Lacy, said: 'Pumpkins need a long, hot growing season to do well.
'Unfortunately, we had a cold and prolonged spring, which meant that germination took place later than normal and then the cooler and wetter conditions over the summer really haven't helped.'
Worrying reports from a government agency last week suggested as many as eight out of 10 children's costumes sold online could be dangerous.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) found more than 80 per cent of the 128 costumes it purchased online failed basic safety tests for fire safety and strangulation from cords.
Adrian Simpson of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents told BBC Radio Five Live last week he was 'shocked' at how unsafe some of the products were.
'There are many responsible retailers out there who are working hard to see safe products,' he added.
'So it comes to us as quite a surprise that there's such as high level of unsafe Halloween costumes out there.'
All of the costumes it tested have since been removed from their marketplaces - but safety watchdogs are warning parents to take care and buy responsibly from reputable shops.
Costumes should also bear safety marks such as the CE or UKCA mark, which signifies that they have passed stringent safety tests, along with manufacturer details and safety information on their tags.
