Issued: 0530hrs Tuesday 25th January 2011
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling
Cold across northern Europe with some rain, sleet and snow pushing south
Tuesday
An area of cloud and some outbreaks of rain affect southern parts of Portugal and southern Spain today. More northern parts of Iberia will be brighter and drier with some good spells of sunshine. A few showers for the south of France, but thicker cloud over northern areas bringing some rain here. Rain affecting the Low Countries too, and a further area of rain spreading into central Germany and Poland. Brighter skies with some showers to the north. Austria, Hungary and Switzerland should be dry and bright with some sunny spells.
Italy will have a bright day with sunny spells, although a few showers could form into the afternoon. More sunny spells and dry for the west of Greece, but to the east it will be cloudy and cold with rain and sleet. More cloud , rain, sleet and snow affecting northern and western Turkey. Bulgaria and Romania will be largely dry although rather misty.
To the north cloud and sleet or snow affect the Baltic States and Finland, some of it heavy in places. More cloud and showers moving south through Sweden, although the north should be dry. Cloud and some showery rain for Denmark but dry and bright across Norway with some good spells of sunshine here.
Wednesday
Cloud and some rain across the far south of Spain and Portugal today. Much of Iberia should be fine though with plenty of sunshine. The sunshine continues across southern France, although central and northern areas will be cloudier with some rain.; Cloud and some rain for the Low Countries too whilst much of Germany should be dry with sunny spells. Fair for most of Poland, although there could be some showers in the east. Hungary, Austria and Switzerland are likely to be dry with sunny spells.
For Italy there will be further showers, a few of them heavy on the hills, although these tending to be scattered with plenty of sunny spells in between. Fair for Greece with sunny spells here and generally dry too for Turkey, although some cloud and rain in the east. High pressure brings fair weather to Bulgaria and Romania, although there is a risk of mist and fog here.
Snow affects the Baltic States and this may be heavy in places. Fair for Finland once morning snow has cleared away. Sweden should be fair, and it should be fair too across Denmark. Norway will have a fine day, although the threat of some cloud and showers on northwest coasts.