Issued: 0530hrs Wednesday 22nd August 2012
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

Fine weather continues to the south whilst rain and cloud affect more northern areas

Wednesday
A fair day to come over Spain> and Portugal. Good spells of sunshine and feeling hot. This hot weather extends through France where, apart from a few showers in the east, it will be dry. Sunny sells and scattered showers through the Low Countries and northern Germany, but thicker cloud and some drizzle through southern Germany and into the west of Poland. Fair for Hungary and Austria with sunny spells. Mainly fair in Switzerland too.
Plenty of sunshine through Italy, although a few showers could affect the west. Fair and sunny through Crete and Cyprus, this spreading to Greece and Turkey bringing hot conditions. Lots of sunshine and hot weather to for Bulgaria and Romania.
To the north there will be mainly dry conditions for the Baltic States but some cloud and showers in Finland. Cloud and outbreaks of rain for Norway and Denmark, but heavier rain to come over Norway.

Thursday
Hot conditions across Iberia on Thursday. There is the risk of some thunderstorms developing inland, but for most it should be dry. Staying hot and dry through the central Mediterranean and into Italy and Greece too, as well as Turkey.
Sunny spells and plenty of dry weather through France although a few thundery showers are possible over southern France. More sunshine through Switzetland, but with some thunderstorms in Austria and Switzerland. Fine for most of the Low Countries and Germany as well as Poland.
A few showers for the western UK, but fine in the east. Breezy for Denmark and the Baltic States but dry here. Some hefty showers across Norway nd Sweden, with windy weather and sunny spells as well as showers in Finland.