Issued: 0530hrs Saturday 19th November 2016
Duty forecaster: Garry Nicholson

Dry and mild south-eastern Europe

Saturday
A ridge of high pressure across Iberia and southern France brings a fine and warm day to the south of Spain and Portugal. Cloud will thicken around the Biscay coast, where rain and strengthening winds will arrive from the Atlantic into the evening. Unsettled across central southern Europe with thundery rain for Italy, whilst some heavy snowfalls are likely across the Alps. Heavy rain extends north from Croatia to southern Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland. Meanwhile, Greece and the eastern Mediterranean remains dry with warm sunshine. Mild around the Black Sea at 15C.
Showery weather will affect coastal areas of northern France and the Netherlands, also Denmark. Central France, much of the Benelux region and northern Germany will be mainly dry with sunny spells, highs 6 to 9C. A brisk south-westerly breeze across the Baltic brings mild and fairly cloudy conditions to Sweden and the southern Baltic, 5 to 8C. Norway will be cooler with wintry showers around western coasts. Snow affects northern Finland and north-west Russia.

Sunday
A deep area of low pressure sweeps in from the Atlantic across the English Channel overnight, advancing into the North Sea during the daytime. Heavy rain and gales affects northern France and the Low Countries, possible severe gales, gusts over 60-70mph. Improving from the west across France to sunshine and scattered showers. Strong winds will also affect Germany and the Alps, but central Europe should stay largely dry. Areas of showery rain will move across northern Germany into Denmark.
Another area of low pressure developing around Biscay brings pulses of heavy rain to Spain and Portugal, although south-eastern Costas and the Balearics should stay dry. Fine for much of Italy and Greece, although thunderstorms will rumble around the Ionian Sea. Dry and mild weather extends across much of east & south-eastern Europe. Dry too also around the Baltic. A few showers around western Norway. Some snow over western Russia, whilst a strong area of high pressure builds around central Russia.