Would be ideal if the temp dropped more too later. But right now anything that settles won't stay for very long.

And what were the odds of a lovely streamer setting up roughly 6 miles to my north!? About 95% based on previous experiences!

Its useless for us on the wirral.  To warm right now, though if we get a torrential hail down pour that might tip the balance in our favour.

Its cold outside - but not Snowy cold by my feel.

Indeed, if it wasn't for the wind it wouldn't feel all that cold. Temp has been rising a bit in the last 30mins bang on 2C now.

I remember this setup so well! We probably will get a slushy icy covering overnight at some point from a couple of rogue showers, but with the wind too westerly, we just won't get the succession of showers we need to maintain anything more significant. We usually have to rely on the scattering of small hail showers that pop up out of nowhere just off the NE Wales coast. 

Still, it's better than nowt so I'll still be watching the radar like a hawk all evening - and besides, there is always the possibility of a streamer to get a bit lost to keep us on our toes 

Currently +1C with a dewpoint of freezing at Manchester airport. 

Not too shabby! 

Oh.... the joys of being a teenager again

Do local weather forecasters on tv have any meteorological qualifications? I wondered because they do seem to spout a lot of rubbish on a daily basis. Earlier today I witnessed out local weathergirl saying the weather was about to turn "bitterly cold" and then showed temps. ranging from +1 to +2 at night up to +6 to +7C by day. Now anyone with any knowledge of the UK climate will know straight away that these are average conditions for January! So my conclusion is that either a)she doesnt understand anything about climate; b)she's a cold ramper or c)both of the above. 

As predicted, any moisture being squeezed dry by the welsh mountains here. This setup is crap for this region on the whole. 

Speaking of which I was in the Brecons earlier today and it was snowing in showers there. 

I feel your pain.  A proper cold NW'ly and a Cheshire Gap streamer is our best bet for a good covering.  And if, as in this case, the wind is due to go N'ly it should stay cold and stick around a while (though Fri is a 'concern').  Brief transient heavy snow from the SW delivers at times but that's usually a 'melts by lunchtime' affair.  The problem with a streamer is, as you state, there's a very specific 'sweet spot' in wind direction.  I can remember an occasion around 12 or so years ago when the whole country was bone dry, even northern mountains, apart from a little blob on the radar that was directly over Wolverhampton.  It was a very small line of showers that drifted in slowly from the Irish Sea and dropped 3 inches of snow in a couple of hours.

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South of North-West England and North and Central Midlands centric - I noticed updated graphics on the half 6 national forecast.  Lots of showers seem to continue through much of tomorrow now rather than appearing to die out quite quickly by afternoon.

Midlands forecast circa 18:50 - Shower activity predominantly for Staffordshire overnight with a few making it a little further south in to West Midlands, Shropshire and maybe Warwickshire.  Only the odd one and still a bit of a mixed bag for the more southern counties such as Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.  Generally more shower activity throughout tomorrow with a slightly more northerly element to the wind direction the showers are more widespread and push further south.  Much of the region, with the emphasis still more snow for the northern counties, will see some passing snow showers.  Far south still more hit-and-miss and may still see more of a mixed bag.  Some accumulations to even lower elevations but only a couple of cm's mentioned.

Up to 2C here now, dropped to 1.3C in earlier hail/snow shower, was nice to see but only stuck a bit to the cars, melted now.

Wind direction isn't quite right for you.  Wouldn't you be likely to pick up some showers as we get more of a northerly at the weekend with inland areas then staying predominantly dry (away from the far north of UK)?

Not bad going that far inland but I can definitely believe it (shouldn't it be snowing in/around Wolves around now?!) 

Here the wind appears to have dropped a bit and there were some bits on the ground when I went for some 'fresh air' just before (might have been fag ash). I'm still excited all the same though for some reason - it must be the thrill of the chase (except with no chase and high chances of no thrill either)