Issued: 0530hrs Friday 9th March 2018
Duty forecaster: Matthew Hugo

Often unsettled across more northern and western areas of Europe in the next few days with rain and showers, drier and warmer in the south


Friday
Into Friday and low pressure will dominate the weather across many central, western and northern areas of Europe. Rain and showers are forecast across western areas of France and down into Spain and Portugal too. Low pressure will also bring some rain and showers, perhaps with some sleet and snow to parts of Germany and particularly across into Poland and other eastern areas of Europe. Some significant snowfall is, however, likely across parts of Norway, Finland and Sweden where cold weather lingers. Best of the conditions will be through the Med, with fine weather across Italy, pleasantly warm and similar conditions too across Cyprus and eastwards into Greece and surrounding countries.

Saturday
On into Saturday and a large area of low pressure dominates to the west of the Bay of Biscay and this will signal unsettled conditions still across much of France, Spain and Portugal with rain and showers, but a south-westerly wind does mean rather mild conditions too across western areas. Similar conditions will develop across much of UK through the day as well. Weakening area of low pressure over Finland and Sweden will bring further wintry precipitation here, perhaps still across Poland and more eastern regions of Europe more generally. The best of the conditions will continue to be through much of the Med with plenty of fine and increasingly warm weather across Italy and up into some central areas of Europe too, including Switzerland. Fine, sunny and warm weather is also expected across Greece and more eastern areas of the Med.