The Met Office has issued a fog warning for parts of Britain as drivers have been urged to be cautious over hazardous conditions.
A yellow severe weather warning was put in place, covering an area stretching from Lincolnshire through the East Midlands and the Home Counties to sections of Greater London.
In certain locations, visibility dropped below 100 metres, with the worst disruption expected during the morning rush hour.
The fog is anticipated to gradually dissipate and lift as the morning progresses, though some rural parts of eastern England may remain shrouded well into the afternoon.
Saturday could see a repeat of early morning mist and fog, potentially lifting into persistent low cloud that lingers throughout the day.
Brighter spells will emerge in some regions, with sunshine breaking through and the majority of the country remaining dry.
The northwest of Scotland stands as the sole exception, where a feeble weather front is forecast to deliver heavier cloud cover and some rainfall.
Temperatures are expected to remain broadly in line with the seasonal average, much as they have been in recent days.
That weakening front should drift towards Wales and central England by Sunday, bringing thicker cloud and the possibility of scattered light rain or drizzle — though nothing of any real consequence.
Elsewhere across the country, Sunday looks set to be dry with a mixture of cloud and occasional sunshine.
A ridge of high pressure has been strengthening and will take firm control of Britain’s weather over the coming days.
This marks a dramatic shift from last week, when a succession of storms driven by a vigorous Atlantic jet stream battered parts of the country.
Although the jet stream continues to track near the UK, the expanding high pressure system is ushering in far calmer conditions.
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Despite the short-term hydrological boost delivered by Storms Austen and Boelo, the Environment Agency reports that 82 per cent of England continues to be classified as in drought.
A phenomenon known as a “diffluent blocking pattern” in the Atlantic jet stream is expected to anchor the high pressure over or near the UK for a minimum of ten days, effectively barring weather systems from reaching British shores.
Britain is therefore entering an extended spell of predominantly dry weather, with only negligible rainfall from occasional patches of low cloud and drizzle linked to morning mist and fog.
With no storms anticipated in the foreseeable future, the next named storm — Chloe — appears unlikely to materialise any time soon.
This prolonged absence of meaningful precipitation is set to intensify worries about the drought and dwindling reservoir levels across England.
The National Drought Group has urged water companies to accelerate their efforts to repair leaks, whilst encouraging the public to shorten their showers and switch off taps while brushing their teeth.
According to the Environment Agency, rainfall exceeding the average by 20 per cent over the next half-year is required to bring the drought to an end.
Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said: “The recent rain is welcome, but the drought isn’t over. A few wet days cannot reverse months of hot, dry weather.”
He added: “Our rivers, reservoirs and groundwater need sustained rainfall to recover, and the effects on nature can last much longer.”
El Nino conditions have been associated with wetter, stormier weather during late autumn and early winter, and the Met Office’s current three-month outlook indicates there is twice the usual probability of above-average rainfall.
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