Issued: 0530hrs Thursday 2nd August 2012
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Hot for most of southern Europe but rain affecting the north

Thursday
Plenty of fine weather across Portugal and Spain on Thursday with lots of hot sunshine. More sunshine through the central Mediterranean and Italy. Heavy showers or thunderstorms for Greece and Turkey.
Sunny spells and showers in France and the Low Countries. Cloud and rain or showers move east through Germany, with some heavy showers affecting the west of Poland. Heavy showers and thunderstorms in Switzerland but Hungary and Austria should be dry.
An unsettled day in Denmark and Norway with some heavy bursts of rain here. Some cloud and rain will push north through Norway and Sweden too. The Baltic States and Finland should be dry with sunny spells.

Friday
Fine, sunny and very across Spain and Portugal for Friday. The Balearics staying dry and sunny too. Italy will have lots of sunshine and fine conditions, and should be very warm. More sunshine for Greece and Turkey throughout the day.
France should be largely fair with more sunshine to come here. An odd showers could affect the Low Countries but overall it should be dry. A higher risk of some heavier showers across Germany and Poland. Austria, Switzerland and Hungary should all be dry.
Some heavy showers to come in Denmark and northern Norway, but central Norway is dry. Sunny spells for Sweden, with some cloud and heavy showers across the Baltic States and Finland.