STRUGGLING to see the sun over the past week? You are not alone as Basingstoke has seen one of the UK's lowest amounts of sunshine.

The town has had just 18 minutes of sunshine over the last 11 days according to BBC Weather.

In comparison, the sunniest place in the UK, St Andrews in eastern Scotland, has seen 36 hours of sunshine. 

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The Met Office said the miserable weather, known as 'anticyclonic gloom', is due to high pressure in the atmosphere, causing dry weather, low clouds and minimal winds.

The phenomenon occurs when high pressure traps an area of moisture close to the surface of the earth, which forms low clouds, mist and fog.

Unable to lift due to light winds and weak sunshine, the cloud thickens overnight as temperatures drop and moisture condenses. 

The dull weather will persist over the weekend, with the next bout of sun forecast by the Met Office to hit Basingstoke on Monday, November 11 after an overcast Saturday and Sunday.

The sunny spells aren't expected to stick around however, with grey skies set to return on Thursday, November, 14 and a 'significant uncertainty in how quickly conditions turn more unsettled'.

It's not all bad news though as the 'influence of high pressure is likely to decline' meaning there is a possibility for more varied conditions and even more sunshine.