The 14th February is, of course, supposed to be the day of love. However, as a meteorologist, love is in short supply for the fairly non-descript weather much of the UK has experienced this week. High pressure has indeed been in charge, but with a lot of moisture wrapped in around the high, many parts have been stuck with some anticyclonic gloom.

As these conditions persist, it does become very difficult for forecasters to inject some excitement into the weather. It can also be incredibly rewarding at times though, when you spot the subtle changes in the atmosphere which dictate whether a place remains cloudy or basked in sunshine. On a more personal level though, I'd rather have the quieter weather than some of the stormy conditions in other parts of the world.

In parts of Eastern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean, the icy blast has continued. In Greece, further snow has fallen, which has left many of Athen's ancient monuments blanketed in white. Parts of northern Greece saw temperatures plummet to -18 C (0 F), while in the capital itself, a minimum of -9 C (16F) meant it was the coldest night in 30 years.

Further east in Turkey, 35 cm (14 inches) of snow was dumped on Istanbul, with much of the country also seeing continued strong winds.

The snow and strong winds also brought widespread disruption to parts of Romania. During Friday morning, some parts of central Romania recorded temperatures of -35 C (-31F). Many mountain roads were closed, and the high winds stopped navigation on parts of the Danube River as well as forcing the closure of three Black Sea ports.

Storm warnings were issued last night in the Crimea, which also borders the Black Sea. Power lines were brought down by strong winds, leaving thousands in the dark, while in the mountains, the threat of avalanches remained.

A little further afield, in Brazil, it's rain rather than snow that has been the main headline maker. Since early January, the country has been hit by the heaviest rains in more than a decade, causing damage over a wide area. With floods and mudslides common-place, it has been estimated that nearly a quarter of a million people have been forced to leave their homes.

Weather News from the last five days:
14/02/2004
13/02/2004
12/02/2004
11/02/2004
10/02/2004

Click here for the Review of the Day