Issued: 0530hrs Tuesday 2nd August 2016
Duty forecaster: Garry Nicholson

Damp across the Low Countries; thundery eastern Europe

Tuesday
Hot and dry conditions continue for Spain and Portugal, temperatures 30C on the Costas, but reaching 35 to 40C inland. Breezy for the west coast of Portugal. Settled weather extends across the Mediterranean, with plenty of sunshine and highs widely topping 30C. Chance of a thunderstorm inland over Italy.
Dry and warm for much of France, although northern areas will be cloudy with outbreaks of rain around English Channel coasts. Grey and damp conditions also extend across the Low Countries into central Germany as fronts advance slowly eastwards. Largely dry across the Alps, but risk of local showers. A little rain for western Poland and the Czech Republic, whilst Slovakia and Hungary will be dry and warm, highs 28C.
Thunderstorms affect Romania and the eastern Balkans, although much of the Adriatic coast will be dry. Areas of thundery rain also extend north across Ukraine and into eastern Russia. Heat is confined to areas toward the Black Sea. Unsettled across Scandinavia as low pressure brings widespread slow moving showers. Blustery winds across the Baltic.

Wednesday
Low pressure influences northern Europe, whilst high pressure toward the south-west brings mainly fair weather to southern parts of the continent. Another hot and dry day across Spain, whilst a northerly breeze continues for Portugal. Hot and dry for southern France, Italy and Greece , with temperatures widely reaching 32 to 35C. Chance of an afternoon thunderstorm in the southern Balkans.
Much of France will be dry, but fronts toward the north continue to bring rain, which also lingers across Belgium, the Netherlands and northern Germany. Largely dry across the Alps and central-eastern Europe. A few residual thunderstorms possible in Romania. Breezy around North Sea coasts. Some heavy rain affects Denmark and southern areas of Norway and Sweden. Showery in northern Scandinavia. Temperatures reaching 19 to 22C for much of northern Europe.