Issued: 0530hrs Friday 29th January 2010
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Snow in northern Europe, rain developing through Italy

Friday
Cloud and outbreaks of rain for the north of Spain today. More central and southern areas of both Spain and Portugal will be fair and dry with good spells of sunshine. Across northern and western France there will be a fair amount of cloud and some outbreaks of rain, some of this heavy at times. The east and south should be drier. Further rain and sleet will affect the Low Countries and Germany, whilst much of Poland and southern Germany should be dry. A dry day too in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
For northern and central Italy the day is going to be dry, although there could be some morning mist and fog. The south of Italy will be cloudier with the risk of some showers. A dry and warm day to come through Cyprus and Crete, with the warm weather in Turkey too. A few rain or sleet showers affecting Romania and Bulgaria.
To the north low pressure will bring snow to the Baltic States, this extending into Finland, where it will also be cold. Snow showers for the east of Sweden, but dry elsewhere. Denmark should be dry with some sunny spells as well be the south of Norway. Northern Norway is going to be cloudier with some snow.

Saturday
Cloudy and drizzly again across northern Spain. Most of the country should be dry and fair with some sunshine, and this extending through Portugal too. A cold day to come in France with some rain and drizzle in the northwest, but otherwise mainly dry with some bright spells. Snow showers will be affecting the Low Countries and Germany, these merging into longer spells of snow at times. Further snow affects Poland, most of it showery. A few snow showers for Hungary and Austria with Switzerland mainly dry.
Low pressure over Italy will be bringing unsettled weather with sunshine and showers to the north. Through central and southern areas the day is going to be cloudier with some outbreaks of rain, some of it heavy. Greece should be dry with sunny spells, whilst heavy showers affect Turkey. To the north Bulgaria and Romania will have some cloud and drizzle.
Low pressure brings snow showers to the Baltic States and these snow showers affect Finland as well. Further snow showers for eastern Sweden, although the west should be dry. Denmark should have a dry day with sunny spells. Cloud and some rain across western Norway, but to the south it should be dry with sunny spells.