Issued: 0530hrs Saturday 1st January 2011
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Fair for many in central and southern areas, unsettled in the north

New Year's Day
Low pressure brings some cloud and showers through Portugal and central parts of Spain through today. Some heavy showers moving into the south of Portugal later in the day. Across France it will be a fair day with bright or sunny spells and feeling cooler too. The Low Countries will be dry with sunny spells, although a band of wintry showers will be moving into northern Germany, with snow in Poland. Hungary, Austria and Switzerland will be dry with good spells of sunshine.
Italy has a fine day with more sunshine to come here, although there will be some fog patches in low lying areas. Through Greece and Turkey there will be mist and fog inland, but for most the day is going to be fine and dry with some pleasant spells of sunshine, and it will be feeling warm too. High pressure holds on through Bulgaria and Romania with fog being more widespread here.
Further north some wintry showers through the Baltic States and Finland, although Sweden should be fair. Fair across Denmark, although some cloud and rain affecting much of central and southern Norway.

Sunday
A fine day over Spain and Portugal with plenty of sunshine to come. There could be a few showers in the Balearics, but for most it will be dry. Showers affecting central parts of France, but the north of the country will be dry withu sunny spells. A cold day over the Low Countries and Germany, just a few snow showers affecting more northern areas. More persistent snow showers for Poland. Cloudy with some snow through Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
Low pressure across Italy bringing showers here, some of them heavy and thundery at times. Greece will have further heavy showers or longer periods of rain at times. Showers in western parts of Turkey, but for most central and eastern areas the day is dry and warm. Scattered showers for Bulgaria and Romania, but dry for most.
A cold day to come through the Baltic States and Finland. This brings snow showers through many areras, with the snow showers also affecting Sweden. For Denmark and Norway there will be further snow showers, some of them heavy on the coasts.