Weather predictions for European weekend sport

This weekend sees the next instalment of the 2015 Formula 1 season as the drivers tackle the Spanish Grand Prix.

Ready for Formula 1? Image by ph-stop / CC BY-SA 2.0

Meanwhile, on British shores, the Great City Games take place in Manchester and several Football League teams hope to get one step closer to Wembley in the first legs of the play-off semi-finals.

So what weather can be expected for these sporting events?

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona is the setting for the fifth Grand Prix of the season this weekend.

For the qualifying session on Saturday, fine weather can be expected with lots of sunshine and just a gentle breeze. It will be pleasantly warm too while qualifying is under way, with air temperatures in the low 20s, which is around the seasonal average.

Similar conditions will then persist into Sunday with dry conditions and lengthy spells of sunshine. Once again, temperatures will reach around 21C (69.8F) or 22C (71.6F) by the time the drivers take to the tarmac.

Back in the UK, Manchester hosts the Great City Games on Saturday.

The city has hosted this event, which features the Deansgate main road (part of the A56) being transformed into a 150m athletics track, since 2009 and has attracted names such as Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Jessica Ennis-Hill, with the latter competing again this weekend.

Unfortunately – and unsurprisingly – the weather isn’t looking as promising as that in Barcelona, with a breezy and cloudy morning expected with outbreaks of rain. It should turn drier and brighter through the afternoon though, so athletes competing in the later events may escape the rain.

The weekend also sees the first legs of several of the Football League play-offs semi-finals, with Ipswich hosting rivals Norwich and Plymouth welcoming Wycombe on Saturday before Chesterfield take a trip to Lancashire to face Preston on Sunday and Southend cross into Hertfordshire for their meeting with Stevenage.

It may be a fairly cloudy start to the match in Ipswich at lunchtime on Saturday but it should remain dry, with sunshine expected to break through as the game progresses.

A fine evening is then expected down in Plymouth for the 19.45 kick-off, although it is likely to feel rather chilly by the end of the match.

Sunday will see fine conditions in both Preston and Stevenage, with spells of sunshine and only patchy cloud.

(Press Association)