Issued: 0530hrs Sunday 8th March 2009
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
Pleasant spring sunshine in the southwest, but it is still winter in the north
Sunday
Cloud and periods of showery rain affect the north of Iberia through today, but for most of Portugal and Spain the day should be dry and sunny. The sunshine extends through the Balearic Islands and into the south of France. Central and northern parts of France will be experiencing more in the way of cloud and some showery conditions too. Cold with showers through the Low Countries and northern Germany, with more persistent rain through the central parts of Germany. Poland is likely to be cloudy and wet with heavy bursts of rain at times here. Most of Hungary and Austria should be fair and dry with some spells of sunshine and it should be staying dry through Switzerland too.
For Italy the day is going to be cool and largely dry. There will be some sunny spells and just an odd shower here and there. Low pressure over the Aegean brings more unsettled weather to Greece and Turkey where there could be some heavy showers or longer spells of rain. These showers extend north to Bulgaria whilst Romania should be largely dry with some sunny spells.
To the north there will be chilly conditions but it should be dry through the Baltic States and Finland with sunny spells here. Hazy sunshine and dry weather in Sweden, but cloud and rain will spread through Denmark and Norway during the day.
Monday
The chance of some showers breaking out over the southern parts of Spain and Portugal through today, but for most of the area it should be a dry day with some sunny spells. Showers will be affecting the north and west of France, some of them heavy at times. Drier to the south with sunny spells here. The heavy showers blowing through northern parts of Germany too and these bands of heavy showers reaching Poland, Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
An area of rain passes southwards through northern Italy bringing colder weather here, whilst the south stays dry. For Greece and Turkey the day should be fair with sunny spells. Dry across much of Bulgaria and Romania although cold with an early frost.
Into the Baltic States and there will be some sunny spells here but also showers. The showers could be heavy at times. Finland is going to be dry with some sunshine throughout, but will be feeling cold. An area of cloud and showery rain affects central Sweden whilst the south is dry. heavy showers to come over Denmark these merging to longer spells of rain, sleet and snow in western Norway.