Issued: 0530hrs Wednesday 5th January 2011
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Unsettled through northern Europe, but milder and more settled to the south

Wednesday
Cloud and outbreaks of rain across Portugal and Spain today; most of the rain affecting the north and west of Iberia. France will be breezy with some showers in northwest France but most of the country should be dry. Breezy and dry across the Low Countries and dry too through Germany and Poland with some sunny spells here. More dry weather and sunshine to come through Hungary and Austria as well as Switzerland.
Italy is going to be having a fine day wituh good spells of sunshine and it should be warm here too. Heavy showers across western parts of Greece, but the east should be dry with sunshine, and it should be staying fair with plenty of sunshine across Turkey. Warm conditions here too. High pressure brings dry weather and a widespread frost over Bulgaria and Romania.
Cloud and snow across the Baltic States, with snow moving into southern Finland too. Cloud and sleet or snow for mid and northern Sweden. Southern Sweden and Denmark will be dry although rather cloudy. More cloud, rain, sleet and snow in Norway, some of it heavy at times.

Thursday
Cloud and rain affecting Portugal and northern parts of Spain throughout the day. Southern parts of Iberia will be dry with plenty of sunshine. Cloud and rain reaching the south of France, with a brisk with and some rain in the north. More rain to come through the Low Countries and northern Germany and Poland. Cloud and dry weather for Hungary, with dry weather across Austria and Switzerland.
Fine and dry through Italy with some sunny spells to come here. Showers across western and southern Greece. Heavy showers across mid and eastern Turkey with western parts of Turkey fine and dry with plenty of sunshine. More sunshine across Bulgaria and Romania, although cold here too.
A windy day through the Baltic States and Finland with some spots of drizzle or sleet here. More wind and cloud through Sweden this bringing rain, sleet and snow. Sleet and snow over southern Denmark, with wintry showers for Norway, some heavy.