Scientists have delivered proof of what many have suspected for years - the weather is always worse at weekends.

Saturdays are colder and wetter than any other day, a major study of weather patterns has revealed.

And the researchers insist people themselves are to blame for the trend - because they drive more during the week and increase dust pollution.

Meteorologists looked at 6.3million pieces of climate data from across Europe between 1991 and 2005.

It's thought to be the most comprehensive weather study ever.

They found Wednesdays have the highest average temperatures and Mondays are the driest. Saturdays were worst on both counts.

The most blue sky is on Tuesdays while on Saturdays, clouds are always thicker and rainfall greater.

The reason for the miserable weekend weather is driving patterns.

Experts say exhaust fumes build up during the week and the dull consequences are felt come the weekend.

As traffic subsides on Saturday and Sunday, so does the dust, gradually bringing brighter weather until the midweek high.

The research was done by a team at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany.

A spokesman explained: "Exhaust gases cause fine dust. This obstructs sun and boosts cloud formation.

"As these come into effect, only after a certain delay, the weekends suffer and have bad weather."

The findings have been supported by two professors at Arizona State University.

Randall Cerveny and Robert Bailing Jr discovered that, on America's eastern seaboard, it's 22 per cent more likely to rain on a Saturday than Monday. They found this was a side effect of air pollution from vehicles.

Meanwhile, a change in the weather is expected to set the stage for a total eclipse of the Moon tonight.

The eclipse - caused by the Earth passing directly between the Moon and the Sun - will be at its height from 10.24pm to 11.58pm.

A spokesman for MeteoGroup UK said: "Conditions are perfect and I'd advise people to get outside with their binoculars."

It's the first time the eclipse - which will turn the Moon red - has been visible from the UK since January 2001.