Issued: 0530hrs Sunday 18th March 2007
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
Storms for the north of Europe, although drier to the south
Today
Low pressure is going to be bringing a very windy day to many northern parts of Europe. Gales are going to be widespread through the UK, Ireland, Low Countries, northern Germany, Denmark and Scandinavia. Much colder weather plunges south through the UK and Ireland and into northern France, the Low Countries and Germany, with heavy snow showers following behind. More persistent rain and snow will be falling across Norway and southern Sweden as well as Denmark where this could be heavy at times. Drier for the far north of Norway and Sweden with sunny spells here.
Central and southern parts of France, together with Switzerland, Austria and Hungary as well as southern Germany will be brighter with sunny spells.
Portugal and Spain will be dry with some good spells of sunshine although they will be rather cool. The fine weather extends into the Balearics and through Italy and the former Yugoslavia. Greece too should be fine with sunshine, and it will be staying mostly dry in Turkey as well with sunshine here, although do expect some showers on the northern coasts.
Monday
The area of low pressure moves into Finland through Monday. A plunge of Arctic air will be dragged southwards through the UK and Ireland and into France. This will bring with it frequent sleet and snow showers, these reaching as far south as central France.
For Spain and Portugal the day is going to be cold with some showers here too, most of them on northern coasts and it will be feeling cold. Showers for the east pf Spain and the Balearics, with a band of cloud and rain spreading through Italy and into the north of the former Yugoslavia. Austria and Hungary will be heaving a fine day too, with sunny spells and scattered showers for Germany and Poland. More persistent rain through western Russia.
Into the former Yugoslavia and western Greece there is the risk of a showers, but elsewhere it should be dry with some sunny spells. More sunshine to come through Turkey, Crete, Cyprus and Israel.