Issued: 0530hrs Monday 21st May 2018
Duty forecaster: Garry Nicholson

Torrential downpours central-southern Europe

Monday
Shallow low pressure across central and south-western Europe brings another day of thundery downpours, breaking out most extensively by late afternoon. These will affect inland Spain, central and northern France, Switzerland and across much of Italy, also Corsica and Sardinia.
The south coast of France, plus the Biscay coast should escape dry, sunny and warm. Portugal should also avoid most of the showers, highs 28C. Thundery too for the southern Balkans, western Romania and Bulgaria, plus mainland Greece . The Greek islands and Black Sea coasts will stay dry, 22 to 25C.
High pressure over northern Europe maintains settled weather. An easterly breeze for Poland and Germany. Local showers for central-southern Germany, but dry in the north. Much of Scandinavia will be dry, sunny and very warm, topping 25C in eastern Sweden and Finland. Patchy rain in northern Norway where it will be cooler.

Tuesday
Little change to the prevailing weather pattern. Shallow low pressure will once again generate thunderstorms over the continent through the day. Heavy bursts of rain will be extensive by afternoon for central-eastern France, the western Alps, plus the spine of Italy and also the Pyrenees.
Southern Spain should stay dry and sunny, although a front to the west of Portugal may produce more cloud for western Iberia. The Mediterranean islands will see isolated showers by afternoon, although the Balearics should escape dry. Thundery for the Balkans and the Carpathians. Scattered storms possible for Poland. The Black Sea coasts will be dry and sunny. High pressure continues to influence Scandinavia. A brisk breeze for Norway, and cool in the north, but it stays hot for east and southern Sweden, plus Finland, widely 25C or above.