Issued: 0530hrs Monday 20th December 2010
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Warm and damp across southern Europe, the cold weather to the north

Monday
High pressure brings a fine day across Iberia, with some good spells of sunshine for both Spain and Portugal. There will be some sunshine and dry conditions over the south of France too, although more northern areas suffer from cloud and outbreaks of rain. Cold through the Low Countries with some sleet or snow here. Most of Germany will be cold with snow to the north, and some heavy snow moving through Poland. Snow showers for Austria and Hungary as well as Switzerland.
Northern Italy will have a cold and frosty morning, although cloud and some drizzle affecting central and southern areas. Greece and Turkey will be fine and warm with some sunny spells here. Bulgaria and Romania have cloud and misty, damp conditions.
Across the Baltic States an area of more persistent snow will move in later in the day, this reaching Finland later. More cloud and snow will be affecting central and southern Sweden, although the north will be dry. Norway will be cold with some sunny spells, but also an odd snow shower.

Tuesday
A very unsettled day to come over Spain and Portugal. There will be cloud and rain, some of it heavy through western parts of Iberia. Cloud and rain affecting France too, with the focus for it across southern and western areas. More cloud and outbreaks of snow across the Low Countries, with further outbreaks for northern parts of Germany and Poland. Cloudier through Poland with drizzle here. Mild with broken cloud for Hungary, Switzerland and Austria.
Italy will be mainly dry with some sunny spells. Fair for most of Greece and Turkey with plenty of sunshine to come here. Bulgaria and Romania will have some cloud and sleet, perhaps misty here too.
Low pressure for eastern Scandinavia bringing snow through the Baltic States and Finland. Bitterly cold across Sweden and Norway as well as Denmark where there will be snow showers.