Issued: 0530hrs Friday 25th January 2008
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
Fine across much of southern Europe, but gales affecting the north
Friday
A mainly dry day across much of Spain and Portugal, with some sunny spells. The best of the sunshine to the west, with eastern coasts of Spain having some cloud drifting in and feeling chilly. Some cloud over the far northwest of Spain too. High pressure is settled across France and this will bring mainly fine conditions here. There will be a morning frost over central and northern France, although to the south it should be too breezy for the frost to form. Across most of the Low Countries and Germany it is going to be generally dry with sunny spells, although always a threat of drizzle on the coasts. Variable cloud through Poland, again with some drizzle in the far north.
Across Austria and Hungary there may be some morning showers, but these should clear and then the day should be dry with sunny spells. Variable cloud too through Switzerland, but essentially a dry day here with more sunshine to come through all places.
A few showers in northern Italy, but for most of the rest of Italy the day is going to be dry with more sunshine, the best in the west. A windy day to come across Greece and Turkey, with the weather mainly dry, although thicker cloud and some rain across Cyprus and eastern Turkey. Fine weather over Bulgaria and much of Romania.
A fine start in the Baltic States but then heavy snow spreads from the west, bringign gales and slowly turning to sleet. Similar weather across Finland too. For Sweden the day will be very windy with sleet or snow, and gale force winds, sleet and rain affecting Denmark. Snow for the central and southern Norway.
Saturday
A large area of high pressure settled through most of central and southern Europe today. This brings lots of dry and bright weather to Spain and Portugal. Plenty of sunshine here. The sunshine extends through France and much of Switzerland, Austria and Hungary too, although there could be some morning mist and fog as well as frost. Once this has cleared it will be dry with lots of sunshine.
The Low Countries and Germany will have some breezier weather with variable cloud, and a few spots of rain over northern Germany. Poland will have thicker cloud and some outbreaks of drizzle.
Italy is going to be dry with frost and fog inland. This will be clearing and then the day will be dry with plenty of sunshine. More sunshine and dry weather to come across Greece, with Turkey being rather breezy, but generally dry. A few showers could affect the Black Sea coasts of Turkey.
High pressure brings dry weather through Romania and Bulgaria, although there will be a risk of some morning frost and fog here.
Stronger winds across The Baltic States with more snow here in the afternoon, and this snow and gale force winds extends across southern Sweden and southern Norway, as well as Denmark, where there could be severe gales. More northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland will have sunny spells and a few wintry showers.