Issued: 0530hrs Saturday 17th January 2015
Duty forecaster: Garry Nicholson

Cool across most of Europe, but not excessively cold


Saturday
A cloudy and cool day for western Europe, with frequent showers for the Biscay coast of France and Spain, locally thundery. Heavy rain setting in for Portugal toward the end of the day. Drier with a little sun for south-eastern Spain. Scattered showers in the western Mediterranean and the Italian peninsula. Low pressure centred over northern Italy is likely to bring widespread heavy snowfall to the Alps from the early hours and throughout the day, including the French and Italian Alps, most of Switzerland, western Austria and southern-most Germany. Rain only at lowest levels. Outbreaks of rain for the Balkan states. A lot of cloud, but generally dry for Greece and Turkey. Cloudy and patchy rain for northern France, the low countries and much of Germany. Some heavy showers near the English Channel and North Sea coastlines. Breezy across Scandinavia, with wintry showers. Heavy rain and snow over the mountains of Norway. Dull across eastern Europe, with light winds, low cloud, mist and fog. Patchy drizzle and light snow for Poland and the Czech Republic.

Sunday
Heavy rain overnight for Portugal and western Spain, moving south-eastwards, but it will remain an unsettled day as low pressure becomes established over Iberia, gusty winds in the south-west. Heavy bursts of rain, and snow over higher terrain. A belt of rain extends north from this system across Biscay and north-western France. Dry with variable cloud for southern and eastern France. Snow clears from the Alpine region, with brighter conditions developing for Switzerland, Austria and northern Italy. Showery conditions for southern Italy and Sicily. Heavy rain and mountain snow for the Balkan states. Dry for Greece and Turkey. Rain affects the Netherlands, and coastal areas of Belgium and Germany, although most of Germany and the Czech Republic remain dry, cool and cloudy. Dull and damp for Poland. Sleety showers for Denmark, and scattered wintry showers across Scandinavia, although mixed with sunshine.