Issued: 0530hrs Saturday 20th August 2016
Duty forecaster: Garry Nicholson

Thundery rain advances east across central Europe

Saturday
High pressure resides west of Iberia, promoting an north-easterly flow across Spain and Portugal; temperatures 33 to 37C, hottest in the south-west. Isolated thunderstorms around the Pyrenees. Plenty of dry and sunny weather across the Mediterranean. Risk of local thunderstorms for Greece and Romania.
A plume of thundery rain passes eastwards across central-southern France and Alpine regions, including northern Italy. Becoming dry around the Biscay coast. Strong winds and showers for northern France and the Low Countries, feeling fresh at 20 to 23C. A front passing east across Germany and Denmark brings outbreaks of rain. Rain also spreads into southern Norway & Sweden. Scattered showers for northern Scandinavia. Risk of thundery rain for eastern Finland. Dry and very warm for eastern Europe, highs 27 to 29C in Poland & Czech Republic, 32C in Hungary.

Sunday
High pressure extends across south-western Europe. Another dry and very warm day across Spain and Portugal, although windy in the north. Nearing 40C inland for Andalucia and the Algarve. Hot and dry across the Mediterranean. Strong Mistral winds for southern France. Thundery rain for north-east Italy and Slovenia. Hot and dry for Greece and areas near the Black Sea.
Dry for most of France, a few showers in the north, highs 22 to 26C from north to south. Thundery rain moves into Poland, Austria and the Czech Republic overnight and into Sunday as a cold front advances eastwards. Unsettled conditions follow across Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, with heavy showers and gusty winds. High pressure resides west of Norway. Light winds and a few slow-moving showers across Scandinavia. Locally thundery around the Baltic. Heat becomes confined to far eastern areas of Europe.