Europe’s late-September split: sunny Alps, warm west and a cooler north

Saturday brings a pronounced north-to-south contrast across western and central Europe. The Alps sit under strong high pressure with excellent visibility and plenty of sunshine, while cloudier air affects northern Germany and the Atlantic side of France.

Central Europe: dry and bright

Austria sees almost cloudless skies after a cold morning, with highs of 18 to 24°C. Switzerland is similarly sunny, with many lowland areas reaching the mid-20s after local morning fog.

Germany: cool north, warm southwest

Northern Germany stays much cooler, generally 16 to 20°C, while the Rhine valley and southwest reach 24 to 28°C. Most areas remain dry.

France and Italy

France is warm to locally hot, with 30 to 32°C possible from the Lyon area toward Languedoc-Roussillon, while western districts start with low cloud. Italy is mostly sunny under high pressure, but residual showers may affect parts of the far south and Ionian side. Northerly winds remain noticeable in central and southern Italy.

Overall, late September continues to feel more like late summer across much of central and southern Europe, while northern coastal areas are distinctly cooler.