Issued: 0530hrs Thursday 31st January 2008
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
An unsettled day in northern Europe, but staying fine to the south
Thursday
An area of high pressure will be through Portugal and Spain today and that is going to be bringing plenty of warm and fine conditions. Most of France should be dry too with some more sunshine to come here. Thicker cloud and stronger winds are going to be affecting the north of France, with some hefty bursts of rain coming through here in the afternoon. Across the Low Countries and northern Germany it will become increasingly windy, some heavy bursts of rain moving in here later. Much of central Germany and Poland should be dry. Some cloud and spots of drizzle across Austria and Hungary, whilst Switzerland should be dry with some sunny spells.
Some sunny spells but also heavy showers across Italy, most of them to the north. For Greece and Turkey the day should be mainly fine with sunny spells throughout the day. More sunshine in Bulgaria and Romania, but quite cold here with an early frost.
Through the Baltic States and Finland the day should be dry with some sunny spells. However, across southern Sweden, Denmark and southern Norway the day will become very windy with heavy rain, turning to snow on the hills. Gales or severe gale force winds for many.
Friday
High pressure remains across Spain and Portugal bringing another fine day here. It should be largely fair for France too, although some wintry showers could affect the northeast. Through the Low Countries and Germany the day is going to be cold, the chance of some wintry showers on the northern coasts. These showers perhaps making it through to northern Poland. For Austria and Hungary there will be more cloud with some outbreaks of rain, whilst Switzerland should be dry and bright with some sunshine.
That rain into the north of Italy as well, some of it heavy and then turning to snow. Central and southern Italy should stay fine with sunny spells. For Greece and Turkey expect fine weather with some more spells of sunshine to come through here. The fair weather lasts across Bulgaria and Romania.
The baltic States will be wintry with some snow moving through here in the afternoon. More snow to come too over the east of Sweden, and heavy snow showers affecting the west of Norway. Denmark having a mix of sunny spells and snow showers.