Issued: 0530hrs Thursday 20th January 2011
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
Unsettled and colder through southern Europe, snow for Scandinavia
Thursday
More sunshine across much of Spain and Portugal. A few showers in the east and some of these affecting the Balearics too. France is largely dry, but the south will be cold and windy. More sunshine and cold conditions to come over the Low Countries and Germany, with the cold weather and sunny spells extending into Poland too. An increased risk of some snow showers for Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
An unsettled day for Italy with low pressure over central parts of the country. This brings strong winds and heavy periods of rain, with a risk of snow in the north. Greece should have a dry day with lots of sunshine. More sunshine to come across Crete and Cyprus as well as Turkey. Generally dry with some sunshine for Bulgaria and Romania.
The Baltic States has low pressure bringing wintry showers, some of them heavy. More cloud and snow over Finland. A few snow showers in eastern Sweden. An odd snow shower over Finland, but Denmark should be dry with sunny spells. Cloud affecting western coasts of Norway, although most of the country should be dry.
Friday
A cold day to come through much of Spain and the Balearics with brisk northeast winds brings showers onto eastern coasts. To the west it should be drier with sunny spells, and it should be fair across Portugal too. A breezy and cold day over southern France,l but dry with sunshine here. Better conditions in northern France with lighter winds and dry conditions here. Plenty of sunshine to come across the Low Countries and this extending into northern parts of Germany and Poland. More sunshine through Austria, Hungary and Switzerland.
Low pressure brings another unsettled day over Italy with heavy periods of rain, but some snow across more northern parts of the country. Fair for Greece with some sunny spells, and this sunshine extending into Turkey too. Bulgaria and Romania will have more cloud and a risk of some drizzle at times.
To the north it will be a fair day across The Baltic States, although feeling rather cold here. Dry for southern Sweden, but snow to the north. Fair through Denmark but some snow showers affecting Norway.