Issued: 0530hrs Friday 9th January 2015
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Windy northern Europe, but fair to the south

Friday
High pressure continues to provide settled conditions for Spain and Portugal on Friday, with plenty of sunshine. Sunny too for the western and central Mediterranean, including Italy and the Adriatic. Greece and Turkey are also fine and sunny.
Central and northern Europe will be windy and unsettled as a series of Atlantic storm systems move quickly eastwards. Rain will come and go for northern France, although the south remains dry. Windy with frequent rain for Belgium, Germany and the Czech Republic. Windy, but often dry for Switzerland and Austria.
Gales and squally showers for Denmark. Low pressure centred over the Baltic maintains unsettled conditions for Scandinavia, with snow showers, although lighter winds. Away from the showers, there will be sunshine for central areas of Norway and Sweden. Snow affects Finland and Russia. Eastern Europe is also windy, with snow, although milder air spreads eastwards later, turning most precipitation to rain for Poland.

Saturday
Fine for Spain and Portugal on Friday with more sunshine in western parts of the Mediterranean. Hazy sunshine in Italy, but fine for Greece and Turkey.
Wind cloud and some showery rain in the far north of France, but for the rest of the country it should be dry with sunny spells. Very windy through the Low Countries and Germany with some cloud and rain in the far north. Cloudy with the risk of drizzle, but also gales in Poland. Breezy in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland and staying dry here too.
Severe gales in Denmark with cloud and rain. Heavy rain and severe gales affecting most of the southern half of Norway and southern Sweden. Cloud and sleet or rain arriving in the Baltic States later in the day. Drier for Finland, snow in the evening.