Issued: 0530hrs Wednesday 2nd January 2008
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
Very cold through much of eastern Europe, but milder and more unsettled to the west
Wednesday
A band of rain affects much of central and northern Spain today, with sunshine and scattered showers following into western Spain and Portugal. There will be some cloud, rain and stronger winds over the west of France too, whilst eastern France becomes significantly colder with variable cloud.
Much colder weather for the Low Countries with a chance of some snow flurries. Staying cold across Germany too in variable cloud and a low risk of a snow shower. That risk of snow showers increasing over Poland, where cloud may be thicker and the snow more persistent at times. Broken cloud for Austria and Hungary. Switzerland should be generally dry with sunny spells, and turning colder here.
To the south Italy has broken cloud, but some sunshine too. A risk of some showers over Greece, with heavier showers in the west of Turkey. These showers turning to snow across Bulgaria and Romania.
Further north there will be stronger winds and very cold conditions as well as snow showers in the Baltic States. Bitterly cold in Finland, again with a risk of a shower. Snow flurries over the south of Sweden and Denmark, whilst most of Norway should be dry but staying cold.
Thursday
Very unsettled over the west of Europe. Low pressure in the Bay of Biscay will be bringing rain to the east of Spain. Heavy showers affecting Portugal, these moving into western Spain through the day. More rain across France, but this turning to snow through Switzerland, the Low Countries and also parts of Germany. Staying bitterly cold across Poland with strong winds and some snow showers. The snow showers for Austria and Hungary too.
Rather cloudy in Italy, again with some periods of rain to the west. Generally dry and milder across Greece, with Turkey experiencing some good spells of sunshine and dry conditions too. Over Bulgaria and Romania the snow showers continue, but should fade in the afternoon.
Stronger winds across the Baltic States bringing more bitterly cold air and a risk of a few snow showers. Mainly dry with strong winds and feeling very cold for Finland and Sweden. Denmark will be cold again with snow showers, these affecting southern Norway too.