kate1

Personally I'd rather trust the Met Office: here's the forecast for London and the South East from Monday through to Wednesday: Extremely cold. Snow showers developing, becoming widespread and heavier later Monday. Frequent, occasionally heavy snow showers continuing Tuesday and Wednesday, leading to locally significant accumulations. Becoming windy from Tuesday. Not quite sure how that translates to 'the south east getting nothing'.

Yes, I do too! - he is almost poetic, if poets came from another galaxy.....

I think the yellow warnings do always say that to be fair. But getting one so far in advance is unusual, I think, and suggests it could well be upgraded nearer the time.

The snow was only ever forecast to begin in earnest late Monday/early Tuesday. The text forecast goes on to say the following from Tuesday onwards: 'snow showers are likely in many places, heaviest and most frequent in eastern and some central areas. Some spells of more prolonged snow are likely, especially in the east, and particularly later next week, across southern areas. Some locally significant snowfalls are likely although details will remain uncertain until much nearer the event'. I think the word 'likely' with regard to periods of prolonged and significant snow is as good as we can hope to get from the MetO at this stage in the proceedings.

Of course nothing is certain until much nearer the time, but this Twitter exchange with Ian Fergusson sounds quite positive: New conversation Chris Thompson‏ @F1CWT 3h3 hours ago More Replying to @fergieweather Steve Murr saying SE/E going to get as much as 75cm of snow in next few days, would imagine a lot of red MetOffice snow warnings will be issued 3 replies0 retweets0 likes Reply 3 Retweet Like Direct message Ian Fergusson‏Verified account @fergieweather 3h3 hours ago More I don't know that source but in wider scheme of things the latent risks are quite evident (and not just for that area). Inadvisable to go cherry-picking most impressive figures re snow, but clearly we can’t discount anything at this early stage. Await @metoffice advice/warnings.

The discrepancy is extraordinary. The Met Office now have my location under a mixture of heavy and light snow continuously for two days from Monday evening, whereas the BBC is still suggesting breezy light cloud throughout that time apart from a single snow shower on Tuesday morning. It's very misleading for those with important appointments and travel plans if the Beeb with Meteogroup input now intends to sit firmly on the fence pretty much until the weather is actually happening.

For my West Kent location the upgrades are coming thick and fast today from the MetO - like the snow, one can only hope - they are now saying heavy snow from Monday evening, then pretty much continuous snow for the next couple of days. Dare I allow myself to get excited?

Not sure where you are getting this from - the MetO forecast shows heavy snow on and off for my location (West Kent) from Monday evening onwards, and this appears to be supported by the model runs too.

As the MetOffice get to see a great deal of data which we don't, and as the updated extended went online at 3PM this afternoon, it doesn't seem terribly plausible that they based it on info which was several hours out of date. Tb be frank advising anyone to 'forget what the MetO write' and pay attention instead to the musings of a bunch of amateurs (i.e.. most, though not all, of us on NW) is a tad ridiculous.

They have just mentioned possible snow for some areas in their 1.30 forecast - they seem to be playing catch-up with the MetO at present. The Met Office extended forecast has been pretty consistent for days now.

I have nothing to add in terms of the models because I am not sufficiently knowledgeable so it may be that this post should be removed - but surely this has to be THE post of the 17/18 winter? - as a beginner I have been horrified by the wilful misinterpretation of the models by some on here - it makes it much harder for those of us who are still learning. Anyway, thanks to the many posters, johnholmes of course included, who take a more intelligent and objective approach, and are keen to impart their knowledge to others - it's much appreciated.

On Tuesday evening the graphics showed persistent snow showers for Wednesday morning for my neck of the woods in West Kent - no mention of this on the website, yet persistent snow showers was what we got, even heavy at times - the BBC website did not show any snow even as it was falling out of the sky for a 3-hour period. I've noticed since the Meteogroup switch that the video graphics seem to be more consistent with the MetO website forecasts but sometimes totally at odds with the BBC website forecasts - at present I'm putting my faith in the video graphics together with the MetO website. They need to get this sorted (funnily enough, the Weather section is currently unavailable on the BBC website, so maybe they have flagged this as an issue?)

An hour ago here in West Kent - and still snowing lightly.

We seem to have been the lucky ones here in Tunbridge Wells for the second time in a week - have a good covering and we're still getting moderate snow showers. I looked out at 5.30 and it was snowing quite heavily then - very unexpected.

I would have been there that day with my girls! - that was a snowfall and a half! I seem to remember seeing a couple of people sledging down Mount Pleasant first thing that morning.... all the roads were closed and awaiting a snowplough.....

Think Tunbridge Wells was the sweet spot - we even made it to the BBC national website:

Light but persistent snow still in West Kent. Have a good covering with no sign of any thaw. The pavements are absolutely treacherous and partner reports that the train to London was deserted so I imagine some commuters in the villages nearby couldn't get to the station. By Orpington apparently the snow has completely gone. This is the first decent covering we've had since 2013 so I'm happy!

Heavy snow now with a light covering on all surfaces here in Tunbridge Wells

Those were great NW days..... Chris is much missed.. So sorry to hear you've had such a difficult couple of years, Tom, and great to hear that you are getting back to your old self. Great to see some old faces on here tonight - hopefully we can reunite over a bit of the white stuff!

Good to see a MetO upgrade for West Kent, with snow now forecast to start earlier tonight and the heavy snow symbol now showing for the first time tomorrow.... hoping our puppy gets to see the white stuff for the first time....

It would indeed.

Lightest and dreariest of snow here in TW. I think I must be getting old because this no longer excites me in the least.

Starting to settle in Tunbridge Wells - MetOffice app still has this down as sleet for me but it's very definitely snow, so if it does get heavier later as they are suggesting we could end up with a couple of centimetres. Most unexpected.

Sleety mix now here in Tunbridge Wells. When I woke up at 6.30 the MetO were only forecasting light snow for me at 3PM - now it seems we may have heavy snow from midday though I would have thought there was zero chance of it settling. Just shows how incredibly hard it is to forecast snow.

Strictly rain only here in West Kent but am chuffed for everyone seeing snow - and we still have almost three months of winter left....