HIRLAM was spot on again with amount here, same as the last snowfall. 

And even the hourly Met Office computerised forecast for my location - which I don't normally set much store by - had picked up on it.

It seems to be a human failure not a model failure

Meteogroup utter fail but surely the BBC presenters would have been looking at the models we see and intervened?

UK Outlook for Saturday 24 Mar 2018 to Monday 2 Apr 2018:

The weekend will be unsettled with sunshine and showers for most, although some longer spells of rain are possible, with perhaps some hill snow in the north. It will be windy, with coastal gales at first. Temperatures will be slightly below normal and locally rather cold, with a risk of overnight frosts, chiefly in the north. During the final week of March the UK's weather is likely to stay changeable, with showers and rain at times, interspersed by drier and brighter interludes. There remains some uncertainty in the forecast for the Easter Weekend, but we are likely to see slow moving weather systems across the UK, with wetter weather more probable in the south. and with drier, colder conditions in the north albeit with a risk of snow at times.

UK Outlook for Tuesday 3 Apr 2018 to Tuesday 17 Apr 2018:

There is significant uncertainty in the forecast detail during this period, but it does look as though slow moving weather systems will affect the UK. There will most probably be a balance between Atlantic frontal systems affecting the south and west at times, with perhaps colder and perhaps drier conditions in the north. However, further snow is possible at times, more especially in the colder north. It will be windy in places with below average temperatures; some overnight frosts are likely during early April. Towards the middle of the month confidence becomes very low, but some warmer days are expected and it may become drier generally.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast 

Windy at times

Spells of wet weather

Some sunnier days

Mild overall - Colder by Easter?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/43466008 

UK weather: Britain to bake in 3 MONTHS of sizzling sunshine in hottest summer for more than 100 years

In just ten days, forecasters expect an onslaught of heat waves to hit, paving the way for a record breaking summer of sweltering sunshine. The mercury is expected to soar so high, in fact, there's a chance the highest ever UK temperature of 38.5C could be beaten. June, July and August will see Britain bake in 30C heat as extreme "heat surges" are swept in from the Continent. The predictions hinge on a rare set of meteorological circumstances, which forecasters now agree will come to fruition.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/uk-weather-britain-bake-3-8017294

First published in 2016 and re-edited for 2018

Giles said hitches included the map, now “a lot smaller”, the blue background colour and limited place names

The BBC’S latest weather graphics have got a stormy reception - from BBC veteran Bill Giles. Giles, 78, who led the BBC weather team for 17 years until 2000, got in a blue funk about the new-look forecasts. He said delicately-shaded maps and graphics brought in February were hard to decipher. Thundering they were “as******disappointing as a downpour in high summer” he urged viewers seeking “clean, clear graphics” to turn to Channel 5 at 7pm.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/ex-bbc-weatherman-bill-giles-12216529 

The best maps the BBC had IMO were the ones they had from the mid-80s up until the spring of 2005, when they changed to the ones they used up until early February this year. The map of the British Isles was just the right size IMO and there was no tilt on it at all.

The flat map is fine, IMO it's the cloud cover and animations that need sorting out. Under the previous system cloud was shown as a shadow over the land and ppn was animated to make it stand out. Compare:

I would say under the old system it's pretty easy to see where the snowfall is, where the cloud is, and where is clear. Also the old system had animations for snowfall and rainfall that made it even more obvious than these images suggest.

UK Outlook for Sunday 25 Mar 2018 to Tuesday 3 Apr 2018:

There will be sunshine and showers for most on Sunday, and some of these could be heavy and slow-moving with a risk of hail and thunder. Through the early part of next week the weather is likely to become changeable once again, with showers and rain at times, interspersed by drier and brighter interludes. Temperatures will be near average or rather cold during the day, with a risk of overnight frosts. The Easter weekend is still too far away to be confident with any details. The most likely scenario currently is a spell of colder than average weather, with increased likelihood of overnight frosts, and a greater than normal chance of snow, especially in the north.

UK Outlook for Tuesday 3 Apr 2018 to Tuesday 17 Apr 2018:

There is significant uncertainty in the forecast detail during this period, but it does look as though slow moving weather systems will affect the UK. There will most probably be a balance between Atlantic frontal systems affecting the south and west at times, with perhaps colder and perhaps drier conditions in the north. However, further snow is possible at times, more especially in the colder north. It will be windy in places with below average temperatures; some overnight frosts are likely during early April. Towards the middle of the month confidence becomes very low, but some warmer days are expected and it may become drier generally.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast 

https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/934597/Easter-Weather-2018-Met-Office-forecast-snow-UK-Bank-Holiday-weekend-BBC-weather-latest 

Becoming windier

Spells of wet weather

Some sunnier days

Mild overall - Cooler for Easter?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/43478517 

UK Outlook for Monday 26 Mar 2018 to Wednesday 4 Apr 2018:

There will be sunshine and showers on Monday, though rain is likely to spread in from the west later and through into Tuesday. Sunshine and showers following, these falling as snow over the high ground in the north. For the rest of this period, the weather will remain changeable, with showers and rain at times, interspersed by drier and brighter interludes. Snow may also occur at times, more especially in the north. Temperatures are likely to be rather cold, with a risk of overnight frosts. The Easter weekend is too far away to be confident with any details. The most likely scenario currently is a spell of colder than average weather, with increased likelihood of overnight frosts, and a greater than normal chance of snow showers, especially in the north.

UK Outlook for Thursday 5 Apr 2018 to Thursday 19 Apr 2018:

Colder than average conditions are likely to prevail overall; often showery with fairly light winds, and a continued chance of overnight frosts. Showers could be heavy with hail and thunder at times, but there are also likely to be good spells of sunshine in-between. Showers or longer spells of rain could fall as snow at times, mainly over higher ground and in the north. Any milder, wetter and windier spells are likely to be relatively short lived. Towards the middle of the month, it is possible that we could start to see some warmer temperatures, less cold nights, and it may become drier generally.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast 

Will cold conditions return?

"Met Office long-range forecasting expert Jeff Knight said: “It is too early to say exactly what weather we will get at Easter, but long-range forecasts show a greater than usual chance of cold spells over Easter and into April. Northerly or easterly winds will need to compete with the increasingly strong spring sunshine and longer days, however. So, it is unlikely that any cold spells will be as severe as those recently. If the cold does return, snow is unlikely to be as disruptive as recent events in southern Britain.”

https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2018/03/21/will-cold-conditions-return/

Indeed and the blue denoted frost and cloud was a dark shadow - where as now they use the same colour graphics for frost, snow, fog and cloud!!

10-day trend

Into Easter weekend

Winds from the north

Colder than average

Wintry showers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNGRYkVpWeM

"

What’s new then?

Two additional types of extreme weather are being added to the current list of rain, snow, wind, fog, and ice.

These are thunderstorms, and lightning.

These can also be combined if more than one could be a potential risk to the public.

Hot weather will still be treated as a public health warning rather than a weather issue.

What about timings?

The Met Office is also planning to change how far ahead it issues warnings.

Currently they only issue alerts five days in advance.

This is going to be extended to a full week, so warnings may be put out a week before the anticipated bad weather."

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/met-office-changing-weather-warning-14441857?ref=BNTMedia&utm_medium=twitter 

BRITAIN is on fresh alert for another ‘big cold spell’ with a bitter Easter weekend set to give way to a month-long April freeze.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/935124/Easter-weather-forecast-snow-UK-April-2018-cold-long-range-forecast-Met-Office 

“Latest computer output today says a northerly icy outbreak for the U.K., after another mini beast before Easter”

Exact timing Tbc

Weekend showers

Mild start to next week

Cooler by Easter

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/43494488 

https://www.earthcam.com/cams/newyork/timessquare/?cam=tstwo_hd 

UK Outlook for Tuesday 27 Mar 2018 to Thursday 5 Apr 2018:

Rain is likely for southern and central areas on Tuesday, with sunny spells and showers in the north. These showers will become more widespread for Wednesday, with snow flurries for northern hills. For the rest of this period, the weather will remain changeable, with showers and rain at times, interspersed by drier and brighter interludes. Snow may also occur at times, more especially in the north. Temperatures are likely to be rather cold, with an increasing risk of overnight frosts mainly away from the south. The Easter weekend is too far away to be confident with any details. The most likely scenario currently is a spell of colder than average weather, with increased likelihood of overnight frosts, and a greater than normal chance of snow showers, especially in the north.

UK Outlook for Friday 6 Apr 2018 to Friday 20 Apr 2018:

Colder than average conditions are likely to prevail overall in April. It will often be showery, with fairly light winds, and a continued chance of overnight frosts. The showers could be heavy with hail and thunder at times, but there are also likely to be good spells of sunshine in-between. Showers or longer spells of rain could occasionally fall as snow, mainly over higher ground and in the north. Any milder, wetter and windier spells are likely to be relatively short lived. Towards the middle of the month, it is possible that we could start to see some warmer temperatures, less cold nights, and it may become drier generally.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/forecast