The Met Office issued a yellow warning over the weekend and predicted a 90% chance of heavy snow in Huddersfield yesterday .

We had our sledges at the ready and yet all we got were scattered snow showers and a light dusting of the white stuff.

Swathes of the Midlands and Wales got a thick covering but we were denied - or spared if you're not so keen on lingering frozen preciptation.

But how do professional meteorologists get it so wrong? You could argue that they weren't wrong. After all they make predictions rather than certainties; a 90% chance of heavy snow still includes a 10% chance of no snow whatsoever.

Forecasting weather, even for experts with the best technology, is still an unpredictable business and here's why.

Why are the forecasts often wrong?

Snow scene in Slaithwaite

This is probably because the experts say snow is much harder to predict than many other types of weather.

The difficulty is often in working out whether an area will see snow or just rain.

Precipitation often begins falling from the sky as snow, but has turned into rain by the time it reaches our streets, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Is there any chance of proper snow in the next few weeks?

Weather picture, the snow, waterfall and frozen lake at Beaumont Park

The Met Office says there's a fair chance of snow falling over northern hills between December 15 and Christmas Eve.

Into the first eight days of the New Year and snow is likely in northern and central parts of the UK.

Will there be a white Christmas?

It looks doubtful. The wet and windy weather that's forecast for the next couple of weeks is likely to give way to milder conditions on Christmas Day.