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Issued: 0530hrs Sunday 6th January 2008
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Heavy periods of rain affecting much of central Europe, snow in the north

Sunday
An unsettled look to the weather through much of central and northern Europe today. Low pressure areas are sweeping eastwards bringing rain, sleet and snow with them. To the south though it is drier, and so most of Spain and Portugal should have a fair day with some spells of sunshine. For northern Spain there will be more in the way of cloud and this will be producing rain, some of it heavy. France will have an unsettled day with periods of rain throughout, some of it heavy at times. For the Low Countries there will be sunny spells and a few showers, whilst heavier showers affect Germany and Poland.
Austria, Hungary and Switzerland will be rather cloudy with periods of rain, this readily falling as snow over the high ground. After a fine morning rain will arrive in northern Italy in the afternoon, and through much of the west of Italy in the evening.
For Greece and Turkey high pressure is going to bring a cool day, with a morning frost through inland areas. The day should then be fine with some good spells of sunshine for most.
To the north the Baltic States will be remaining windy with some heavy spells of rain and snow. The snow also affecting Finland, where it will be windy too. For Sweden and Norway the day will be cloud with periods of rain, sleet and snow for most, whilst Denmark has a some sunshine, but showers in the afternoon.

Monday
The working week starts with some cloud and showery rain over the far north of Spain, this more persistent in southern France. For the rest of Spain and Portugal Monday should be a fair day with some good spells of sunshine.
The rest of France should be drier for a time with morning sunshine, but heavy showers returning to the northwest in the afternoon. Heavier periods of rain affecting the Low Countries, this rain moving into Germany through the morning and afternoon. Morning showers in Poland should fade to leave the rest of the day mainly dry with some sunshine. A fair day too over Hungary, but more cloud and rain or snow to come for Austria and Hungary. Italy will have rain in the north and scattered showers elsewhere.
Showers could affect northwest Greece, but most of the country should be dry with sunshine. Dry too over Turkey, more sunshine to come here. Variable cloud through Bulgaria and Romania, some outbreaks of snow at times, although this only light.
For the Baltic States and Finland it will be staying wintry in snow showers, with a few of these in eastern Sweden too. Most of Sweden though should be dry with sunshine and it will stay fair across Denmark and southern Norway.