Rain, fog, wind, daylight changes, and exposed bridges or higher roads can alter a long drive.
Met Office weatherEuropean road trips
European road trip weather planning
Planning a drive in Europe? Check weather along the journey, compare departure times in DriveWindow, and use the national weather services below for local forecasts and warnings.
Plan by country
Weather checks for European road trips
Weather can change as you cross borders, coastlines and mountain ranges. Check national forecasts and official weather warnings for each country on your route.
This page is a planning guide, not a live forecast. Check road authorities separately for closures and restrictions, and confirm current app availability in your local App Store.
Countries and weather checks
Autobahn weather planning should account for rain, fog, freezing conditions, wind, and changing visibility between regions.
Deutscher WetterdienstAtlantic rain, heat, mountain passes, wind, and long regional transitions can make the destination forecast incomplete.
Météo-FranceHeat, intense storms, mountain weather, coastal wind, and large distances make departure timing important.
AEMETAlpine and Apennine passes, summer heat, storms, fog, and coastal wind can change conditions along one route.
MeteoAMAtlantic rain and wind, summer heat, and inland elevation changes are useful checks for longer drives.
IPMACoastal wind, rain, low visibility, and short winter daylight can affect bridges and exposed road sections.
Danish Meteorological InstituteSnow, ice, wind, darkness, and large distances between forecast areas matter on northern and cross-country drives.
SMHIMountain weather, precipitation changes, wind, tunnels, and rapidly changing visibility require segment-by-segment checks.
Norwegian Meteorological InstituteSnow, ice, freezing conditions, wind, and limited winter daylight can shift the better departure window.
Finnish Meteorological InstituteRain, wind, fog, and exposed bridges can matter even on shorter drives across a dense road network.
Royal Netherlands Meteorological InstituteRoute planning
What to compare on a European drive
- Compare the weather at the time you reach each route segment, not only at the destination.
- Match local road units: miles in the UK and kilometres in the other countries listed here. Check temperatures in degrees Celsius, local time, and national road information.
- Use this guide for country-level planning. Check forecasts for your route and departure date in the DriveWindow app.
- Check official road authorities for closures, restrictions, incidents, and border requirements before departure.
Plan the drive
Route weather planning guides
Start with the question that matches your trip, then finish the current check in DriveWindow.
iOS
DriveWindow for iPhone and iPad
Use the app when you need live route planning, saved trips, reminders, driving profiles, sharing, and Calendar export.