Issued: 0530hrs Thursday 11th August 2011
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Cloud and rain through northern Europe, but fine and sunny to the south

Thursday
Fair weather through Spain and Portugal on Thursday bringing some good spells of sunshine, the best of it to the west. France should have a fair day too, as will most of the western and central Mediterranean. More sunshine through the eastern Mediterranean bringing fine conditions through Greece and Turkey.
The Low Countries and Germany should have a fine day with lots of sunshine to come here. More sunshine across Switzerland and Austria as well as Hungary. Poland will be dry with sunny spells across central and southern areas, but some showers and stronger winds to the north.
Low pressure will be over northern parts of Scandinavia. This brings showers, some of them heavy at times. The far south of Norway and Sweden should be bright with a few showers and some windier conditions across Denmark.

Friday
Another fine day across Portugal and Spain with lots of sunshine. This sunshine extends through the Balearics and into Italy. Further sunshine for Greece, with a northerly flow brings the risk of some showers over northern Turkey and parts of eastern Bulgaria and Romania.
Across central Europe there will be some showers in northern France, although southern areas should be drier with some sunny spells here. Cloud and some showers or longer spells of rain may affect the Low Countries as well as northern Germany. Poland is likely to have cloud and some showers or longer periods of rain, especially in the north.
The far south for Sweden is likely to have some cloud and a few showers. For most of the rest of Norway and Sweden the day is likely to be dry with sunny spells. The Baltic States should be fair, although cloud and rain may affect Lithuania. Finland will be dry with sunny spells.