Unseasonable warmth to continue from Greece to Poland this week
The unseasonable warmth that was felt across much of eastern Europe in April is expected to continue into the first week of May.
While western Europe will endure several days of unsettled weather with rain and thunderstorms, drier weather will allow heat to build farther east.
Locations from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Baltic Sea will all experience temperatures well above normal until at least the middle of the week.
Average temperatures in the month of April were 4-6 C (7-10 F) above normal in most areas, making it feel more like June.
More heat is on the way as daytime high temperatures will average 6-12 C (10-22 F) above normal in Athens, Greece; Belgrade, Serbia; Bucharest, Romania; Kiev, Ukraine; and Warsaw, Poland; through at least Saturday.
A large area of high pressure over Ukraine and western Russia will protect the region from storm systems and promote this lengthy period of dry and warm weather.
While most locations will be dry on any given day, the combination of warmth and increased humidity will result in spotty showers and thunderstorms, especially in and near the mountains.
The greatest threat for showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday will be across the higher terrain of the Balkan Peninsula, as well as from northeast Poland into Belarus and Lithuania.
The storms across the Balkans are not expected to be severe; however farther north storms can produce damaging winds and hail.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected both Wednesday and Thursday from the western Balkans northward into Poland.
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