Europe forecast - February 26, 2018
Heavy snow south-east
Bitter easterlies

Issued: 0530hrs Monday 26th February 2018
Duty forecaster: Garry Nicholson


Rain arrives for Spain and Portugal


Monday
Rain develops for south-western Spain and Portugal as fronts move in from the Atlantic. This heralds a change to very unsettled weather across Iberia in the week ahead. Largely dry for the western Mediterranean, with isolated showers. Rain and snow affects central and southern Italy. Low pressure influences south-eastern Europe, moving north-eastwards toward the Black Sea, bringing heavy snow to Bulgaria, southern Romania and parts of Greece, although the islands should see rain.
High pressure over Scandinavia produces bitter easterly winds across central & northern Europe. Temperatures close to freezing in France, but widely sub-zero across Germany and the Alps. Severe cold for eastern Europe, with daytime values of -5 to -10C in Poland, or below -10C in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, also Finland. A lot of dry weather, but bands of snow showers affect eastern Sweden and northern Germany, giving locally frequent heavy snow. Largely dry for Norway but a risk of snow flurries near coasts in the south-west.


Tuesday
Heavy rain affects parts of central-southern Spain and Portugal, locally persistent all day. The far south-west may improve. Northern Spain stays dry, but quite cool. Showery for the western Med, and a few showers for southern Italy. Residual snow affects south-eastern Europe, but may be persistent and heavy in some areas around southern Ukraine. Local showers for Greece and Turkey, temperatures 10 to 15C around the coasts of the eastern Med.
Very cold air influences central, east & northern Europe. Temperatures widely staying below freezing by day. Easterly winds will enhance the chill. Generally dry for the Alps, much of France, Germany and the Low Countries. Belts of snow showers affect south-east Sweden, Denmark and northern Germany. A strong area of high pressure remains over Scandinavia. Frigid temperatures, staying around -15 to -20C even by day in Finland.