Issued: 0530hrs Wednesday 3rd October 2007
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Cloud, showers and rain affecting much of western Europe, but drier to the east

Today
More rain to come over Spain and Portugal today, most of it through central and northern areas. Cloud and outbreaks of rain over western and northern France with a chance of some heavy bursts of rain in the south. For the Low Countries it will be fairly cloudy and drizzly with more cloud and drizzle in central and southern Germany. The north of Germany should be brighter with sunshine here. Mainly dry and bright in Poland, although the risk of some showers at first in the east and south.
A few showers in western Switzerland, but eastern Switzerland, Austria and Hungary will be drier with sunny spells. Italy should have a fine and dry day with plenty of sunshine here. An odd shower in the former Yugoslavia, but generally dry. Greece, Crete and Cyprus will be dry, and most of Turkey should be dry and sunny too, although there is a chance of a shower in the far south. Most of Bulgaria and Romania will be dry with more sunshine here.
For the Ukraine western areas will be cloudy and wet with periods of rain, whilst central and eastern areas should be dry and bright. A cloudy and damp day over Belarus with a band of rain sweeping east. Heavy showers then moving into the Baltic States.
Cloudier for much of Finland with a few spots of drizzle. Central and southern Sweden as well as southern Norway and Denmark will be dry with good spells of sunshine. Cloudy and wet for northern Norway and the north of Sweden.

Thursday
The showers will be more scattered over Spain and Portugal today, although an odd heavier one cannot be ruled out. For France the day should be mainly dry and bright in sunny spells, although coastal areas are at risk of a shower. Some cloud and rain crossing the Low Countries, this brushing northern coasts of Germany. For central and southern Germany heavy showers are likely, and these heavy showers will be affecting Switzerland,. Austria and Hungary as well.
For Italy and the former Yugoslavia the weather will be staying dry and warm; lots of sunshine throughout these areas. The sunshine extends into Greece, Crete, Cyprus and Turkey with more sunshine here as well. Over Bulgaria and Romania the weather will also be dry and sunny.
Some rain in northern Ukraine but mainly dry here. More persistent rain in Belarus although the Baltic States are likely to be cloudy and wet with some heavy bursts of rain. Cloud and rain in eastern Finland, but fair and sunny to the west. Most of Sweden should be dry with lengthy spells of sunshine, whilst much of Denmark and Norway should be dry with more sunshine.