But where is the Arctic blast with snow and bitterly cold weather the Daily Express kept waffling on about!???

True - as any Kentish Man or Man of Kent will tell you, the North begins at Watford

So, I'm in the North then....

It doesn't seem to improve my chances of seeing snow.

UK Outlook for Sunday 22 Dec 2013 to Tuesday 31 Dec 2013:

It is likely to remain very unsettled through the Christmas period, with frequent spells of strong winds and rainfall. This will be interspersed with some brighter, showery weather at times. Severe gale force winds are possible, most likely in the north and west, although nowhere looks to be immune. Rain is also likely to be heavy at times, especially in the west, which will lead to a risk of some flooding. Temperatures are most likely to be near or above normal for December at first, but then trending a little colder, more especially later, when there looks to be an increasing risk of some snow in the north and on hills, whilst night frosts may become more common.

UK Outlook for Wednesday 1 Jan 2014 to Wednesday 15 Jan 2014:

Current indications are that the very unsettled weather that is expected to dominate the Christmas period is likely to continue into the New Year. Spells of mild, wet and windy weather are likely to alternate with brighter, colder, showery periods, though the risk of any significant snow or prolonged wintry weather looks low except on high ground in the north. Further into January, the most probable scenario is for the unsettled conditions to ease somewhat with a greater chance of drier weather, whilst frost and fog become a little more likely.

Issued at: 1600 on Tue 17 Dec 2013

Something more seasonal at least

Same as last year IMBY so no panic yet

Yes but Faversham has a denser population...just you try asking the locals a simple question 😉....mind you, if I had a brewery on my doorstep, I'd probably be incapable of answer most simple questions too :D

Edit: No wait, that doesn't tie up with not getting any media attention does it? Bah! I'm confued - one too many Shepherd Neames in The Chapel today!

As a Gillingham fan, the North always began at Watford Gap Services on the M1. It was law that any UK place with a higher latitude than that, automatically had a team of "You dirty norvern baastids!"

If you want to clutch at straws, the 1947 snowfalls in the south didn't begin until the last week of January - we were just moving house south of London. I remember piles of snow and thinking what a waste of sledging time it was setting up in a new place. But it got better...

It's no straw clutching, just stating a fact

Thursday:

Colder for Thursday but with plenty of sunshine through the day. Risk of a brief spell of rain, sleet and snow during the evening. Very strong winds will ease. Maximum Temperature 8 °C.

First taste of Winter tomorrow IMBY

And DEW wins the 'Winter 2013/14 Award For First Mention of 1947 as a Reason Not to be Despondent at the Prospect of Crap Winter Weather'

Darren Bett

" Possible flooding in the South on Saturday "

It's blowing a full on gale and it's pouring down over here at the moment . . . and yet the Met Office hadn't even issued any kind of warnings whatsoever for my region. I don't like to bad mouth the "firm" but on this occasion I think that is a poor show on their part.
  What I'm experiencing right now would certainly be cause for concern when it comes to travel. It's true that I did say that I've never been a big fan of the Met Office's complex four-tier warning system and how I don't really "use" it that much, but I would have thought this evening's event would at least warrant an Amber level.

Nice update from the Met Office for coldies in the North:

UK Outlook for Tuesday 24 Dec 2013 to Thursday 2 Jan 2014:

Staying mainly unsettled and very windy with showers or longer periods of rain, heavy in places, especially in the north and west. Gale force winds are likely with severe gales or storm force winds possible; especially, but not exclusively, in the north and west. From Christmas Day onwards, the greatest risk of the very strong winds and heavy rain may move further south with colder temperatures in the northwest allowing snow to low levels here, rather than just over high ground. Otherwise, temperatures generally near normal or rather mild in the south at first. Towards the end of the period, it should remain unsettled with showers and longer spells of rain, though the risk of severe gales is likely to reduce.

Updated: 1147 on Thu 19 Dec 2013

Par for the course, given the current output:

UK Outlook for Wednesday 25 Dec 2013 to Friday 3 Jan 2014:

Christmas Day is likely to be rather cold with sunny spells and showers. Showers will be heavy and wintry at times; especially in the northwest where it will remain very windy. Showers will continue into Boxing Day, before more persistent rain and strong winds pushes in from the west later with hill snow in the north. Thereafter, it will remain rather unsettled and often windy, with the greatest risk of the very strong winds and heavy rain mainly in the north and west. Temperatures generally near normal or rather mild in the south, and near or a little below in the north. However, incursions of colder air will spread down from the northwest at times, allowing snow to low levels in the north, rather than just over high ground.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/449815/Snow-warning-Winter-2013-will-see-a-White-Christmas-across-UK-says-shock-weather-forecast?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+daily-express-uk-news+(Daily+Express+%3A%3A+UK+Feed)

Cloudy with a chance of bullshit. 

'The Met Office issued a shock forecast tonight warning that plunging temperatures could trigger widespread snow on Christmas Day.

The festive predictions prompted bookmakers to slash the odds of snow falling next Wednesday.

And even former BBC weatherman Michael Fish declared confidently: “It WILL be a White Christmas.”'

Lord give me strength