Issued: 0530hrs Friday 20th February 2015
Duty forecaster: Garry Nicholson

Breezy, fairly mild in north-east Europe


Friday
Rain for northern Spain and Portugal on Friday, persisting through the day, although staying dry toward the south of Iberia. Scattered thundery showers in the western Mediterranean. Dry and sunny for Italy, Greece and most of south-east Europe under the influence of high pressure. However, it remains cool for Turkey with a little patchy snow near the Black Sea. Windy toward the east of Turkey, also Cyprus. A small area of low pressure moving through the English Channel brings heavy rain and gusty winds to northern and western France whilst the south of France, Switzerland and Austria are likely to be dry. Rain and drizzle for Belgium and the Netherlands. Cloudy with a little drizzle in Germany, but broadly dry toward the south-east. Relatively mild for Poland and Scandinavia with a south-westerly breeze. Rain and mountain snow in western Norway. A slow moving frontal system brings patchy outbreaks of rain for Sweden and Finland, and a lot of cloud.

Saturday
Heavy rain spreads south-east across France overnight into Saturday, associated with a cold front. Snow developing for the western Alps including Switzerland. Dry for most of Austria, particularly in the east. Slow moving heavy and thundery rain is expected to affect southern France, eastern and northern Spain and the western Mediterranean. A scattering of showers for Portugal. Rain reaches north-west Italy, although the south remains dry. Fair conditions in the Adriatic region, and sunshine extends to Greece and Turkey. Staying chilly in eastern Turkey. Cloudy with patchy rain for Germany. Mild and breezy in Poland and the Czech Republic. Dry across eastern Europe. Rain affects southern Sweden and Denmark. Snow and rain showers in western Norway, but drier inland. Northern Scandinavia is drier overall.