Issued: 0530hrs Thursday 4th August 2011
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Plenty of sunshine and heat in the Mediterranean, but showers in central and northern Europe

Thursday
Another hot and sunny day to come across Portugal and Spain today. This sunshine extending through the Balearic's and into Italy. Greece and Turkey look fine too with more sunshine, and it should be staying hot and sunny into Cyprus and Crete.
Some showers for northwest France, but most of the country will be hot and sunny. It stays hot across the Low Countries, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, and plenty of sunshine in western parts of Germany too. To the east there could be some thunderstorms, and these are gong to be affecting Poland as well.
The Baltic States and Finland are under high pressure, and so the day here will be fine with lots of sunshine to come. More sunshine for most of Finland and Sweden, although a few showers to the north. More sunshine for Norway and Denmark.

Friday
The Mediterranean is going to see lots of sunshine throughout Friday. It is going to be hot too. Greece may see more in the way of cloud with the chance of a heavy shower, and these will be continuing over the mountains of Turkey too.
Central parts of Europe will have some showers, most of southern France, the Low Countries and Germany where a few could be heavy. Fair weather follows to the west bringing sunny spells here. Switzerland and Austria may have an odd shower later, but Austria should be dry with good spells of sunshine.
Cloud and rain across southern parts of Norway and Sweden, as well as Denmark. Central and northern areas of these countries are likely to be drier, although there will be a shower from time to time. Dry for the Baltic States and most of Finland.