Once again this week, a high-pressure system is present over a large part of the North Sea. This means that work can continue in many places, but the weather forecast still needs to be closely monitored. For instance, conditions over the northern North Sea are expected to be temporarily more unsettled, and there is a high chance of fog over the southern half of the North Sea.
A weak frontal trough will track east over the North Sea on Tuesday and early Wednesday. Afterward, high pressure builds over the North Sea. The high-pressure area is filled with relatively warm and humid air. Additionally, wind speeds will remain (well) below 20 knots in many places for much of the week. As a result, fog and low-hanging clouds can easily form, particularly over the southern North Sea. Since we are now well into autumn, the sun is no longer strong enough to burn off this cloud cover, resulting in the fog occasionally lingering throughout the day. Despite the high chance of fog, it is often a local phenomenon. Therefore, consult our weather forecast to check the exact conditions at your location.
The likelihood of fog is lower over the northern North Sea. Early on Thursday, a small low-pressure area will form north of Scotland. This system, along with an associated frontal trough, will move eastward over the far north of the North Sea. As a result, wind speeds will increase to 30 knots, and significant wave height (Hs) will rise to 3.5 to 4 meters.
Over the weekend, a large high-pressure area will move eastward across the entire North Sea. Since the upper air will then be considerably colder and drier, the chance of fog will be much lower.
Figure 1: High pressure dominates most parts of the North Sea during this week.
