Issued: 0530hrs Thursday 26th March 2009
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Warm and sunny again through Iberia, but cooler and more unsettled to the north

Thursday
High pressure brings a fair day to Spain and Portugal today with some good spells of sunshine. The high also brings sunshine to the Balearic Islands and the south of France. However, to the east low pressure is going to be giving showers over much of Italy and these showers will be turning heavy at times. The showers extend all the way to Greece and again some of them may be heavy, especially in the west. A band of more persistent rain affects northern parts of Turkey, but the south along with Crete and Cyprus should be dry with some sunshine.
For much of central Europe the weather will be more unsettled. Rain and strong winds affect the north of France, although the Low Countries, Germany, Switzerland and Austria should be mainly dry. A band of showers rain extends north to south through Poland and into Austria.
The Baltic States will have a fair but cold day with some sunshine to come here whilst Finland also enjoys some sunshine, although it will be chilly. A mainly fair day for much of Sweden although cloud and some rain affect the far south of the country. Denmark sees some showery bursts of rain too and these stronger winds and some rain extend to southern Norway, with the north drier.

Friday
A fair day again through Spain and Portugal with plenty of sunny spells to come here throughout the day. This sunshine extends through the Balearic Islands and into Italy where the day is going to be dry. The area of high pressure responsible for the fine, sunny weather will be building into Greece too bringing sunshine here and through Crete. Low pressure still troubles Turkey giving some rain or showers and these will be slipping south to Cyprus and Israel.
Another more unsettled day through central parts of Europe. Rain is likely to be only patchy and rather showery through much of central Europe, with central France, Switzerland southern Germany and Austria troubled by this. The rain is going to be more persistent over Poland where it could be heavy at times. More northern parts of France, the Low Countries and Germany will be breezy with showers. The showers could be heavy at times and it is going to be feeling cool.
For Denmark the day will be a chilly one with strong winds and wintry showers, some of them heavy. More persistent rain, sleet and snow will affect the south of Norway and southern Sweden with some strong winds here too. More northern parts of Norway and Sweden will be drier with some sunny spells, whilst Finland should also be generally dry.