Issued: 0530hrs Saturday 11th December 2010
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Cold returning to northern Europe, unsettled mid-Mediterranean

Saturday
A few showers over western parts of Portugal The rest of Portugal and Spain should be fair with sunny spells. More sunny spells over southern France, although there could be some morning fog patches. To the north a few showers are likely, and these will be continuing through the Low Countries. Thicker cloud and some rain over northern Germany and Poland, although to the south it should be drier. Fair over Hungary. Switzerland and Austria.
Italy will be chilly with sunny spells and it should be dry. Very cold through Greece with showers. Some wintry showers moving south across Crete and Cyprus as well as Turkey where the rain will be turning to snow. Cold for Bulgaria and Romania with sunny spells here.
To the north Wind and snow will spread to Finland, some of them heavy. Snow showers over Finland and Sweden. A bitterly cold day through Denmark and Norway with snow showers here.

Sunday
Fair across Portugal and Spain with sunny spells. Cold but dry for France with some sunny spells after morning fog patches clear away. A few wintry showers in the Low Countries and Germany, although turning brighter through northern Germany and Poland later. Wintry showers through Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
Low pressure over Italy keeps conditions unsettled and cold here. There will be some wintry showers, most to the north. Cloudier conditions on western coasts of Italy with some drizzle. Fair over Greece with sunny spells here. Low pressure for Greece bringing some showers and these could turn to longer spells of rain over southern Turkey. Increasing cloud through Bulgaria and Romania with drizzle later.
A cold day over the Baltic States with snow showers here. Fair for Finland with some clearer skies and feeling very cold too. Staying cold with snow showers over Sweden and Denmark, although Sweden should be dry.