Issued: 0530hrs Saturday 2nd January 2010
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
Unsettled through the Mediterranean, cold across the north
Saturday
Pressure builds through Portugal and Spain today and this brings a much better day; there will be sunny spells and dry weather for most. Cloud and some rain may affect the very far northwest of Iberia though. High pressure in France also brings a better day with sunny spells, although the risk of some morning fog. Snow showers affecting the Low Countries and perhaps the coasts of northern Germany. Further snow showers in Poland, some of them heavy. There is also the threat of some wintry showers through Austria and Hungary as well as Switzerland.
Northern Italy will have rain, falling as sleet on the hills, whilst the south should be drier with some sunny spells. Cloud and some showers through Greece whilst more persistent rain affects Turkey. Snow could be a problem through Bulgaria and Romania, this becoming heavy at times.
A cold day through the Baltic States and Finland. There could be some snow showers here, most of them light. Staying cold but dry through Denmark and most of Sweden. Cold and fair for Norway.
Sunday
Rain for Portugal and the north of Spain today. It should be dry through more central and eastern areas with some good spells of sunshine here. Cloud and some outbreaks of rain affect southern parts of France. Central and northern areas should be brighter with sunny spells and dry too. Some wintry showers affecting the Low Countries and northern Germany, with snow showers too across Poland. Fair for Hungary but snow showers in Austria and Switzerland.
Bright and mainly dry through Italy, a few showers here and there. Cloud and some rain in northern Greece, this turning to snow. A few showers in southern Turkey but cloud and rain to the north. More cloud and some wintry showers through Bulgaria and Romania.
Cold with some wintry showers in the Baltic States with snow later in the day over Finland. Cloudy with some snow for northern Norway and Sweden, although the south should be dry with some sunshine, this extending through Denmark too.