Issued: 0530hrs Thursday 24th January 2008
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
A fine day for many southern areas, but get set for gales and snow in Scandinavia on Friday
Thursday
High pressure is going to be bringing a bright and dry day through Spain and Portugal. Good spells of sunshine for most parts, although thickening cloud in the far northwest of Spain could bring some showery rain for the afternoon. The same rain band bringing some showers to northern France, but for much of central and southern France it should be dry again with more sunshine here, and some early morning frost and fog patches. Across the Low Countries and northern Germany periods of cloud and rain are likely, this also affecting the north of Poland. For the south of Poland and Germany though the day will be one of variable cloud and should be generally dry.
Austria, Hungary and Switzerland and all likely to start the day rather frosty. There will be plenty of dry conditions around, with some sunny spells coming through too.
Over much of Italy the day will be dry with some more sunny spells here, although there is a risk of some cloud bringing a few showers to the far south. More unsettled weather for Greece and Turkey, with rain and showers extending through Crete and Cyprus. Bulgaria and Romania should be drier with high pressure dominating here, and a morning frost.
To the north the unsettled weather starts again, with strong winds and rain affecting much of the Baltic States. Sleet and snow turning to rain in Finland, then back to snow later, windy here as well. Rain and sleet cross southern Norway and Denmark bringing strong winds, but brighter weather with wintry showers for the west and north of Norway.
Friday
More in the way of cloud for the east of Spain on Friday and feeling colder too. Central and western Spain should stay dry with more sunshine, and it should be a fine day across Portugal as well. High pressure is squeezed north into France bringing a cold, but bright day for most of central and northern France, although cloud to the south may produce some rain. Breezy across the Low Countries and northern Germany with variable amounts of cloud, some sunshine and mainly dry conditions. A generally dry day in Poland, although some drizzle could affect northern coasts. Austria and Hungary may have some broken cloud, but should be dry, with similar weather in Switzerland.
Cloudy over the far north of Italy, some rain here, but for most of the rest of Italy it should stay dry with more sunshine. Fine too across Greece and much of Turkey, although the south of Turkey and Cyprus will have some cloud and rain. Bulgaria stays largely bright with some sunshine, but cloud and a risk of sleet and rain in Romania.
Breezy again in Finland but dry until later, and mainly dry through Finland as well. A wet and windy day to come over Sweden with gales in the south and some heavy periods of snow, followed by rain and sleet. Snow too across southern Norway, whilst Denmark is windy and cloudy with rain or drizzle. Heavier snow in northern Norway.