THE weekend is here again and it's a case of here we go again.

Just like last weekend, it's a difficult forecast to make as mild air from the Atlantic moves into the pool of very cold air established over Britain and details are hard to nail down.

Today will probably start with the remnants of overnight frost as cloud builds up from the west. The bulk of the day looks dry, but a warm front will gradually approach bringing a band of sleet or snow.

Current indications are that the higher parts of Gloucestershire and eastern districts will see significant snowfall whereas lower levels will also see snow but this will probably turn to rain later on.

This area of rain and snow will die away overnight into Sunday to give a largely dry but cloudy day with some showers some of which again may turn wintry.

Temperatures at best will range from 3-5C (37-41F) in the west to 1-2C (34-35F) in the east. Overnight lows of say 0-3C (32-37F).

The outlook into the new week will see a split with milder conditions to the west and the cold air just to the east as the battle takes place.

Here we are into the first weekend of February and unlike last week, weather has been the talking point.

Winter has made a return for us all with frost and some snowfall. Cold polar maritime air descended on January 26 with hail and sleet showers. Later that afternoon, a trough developed and rain turned to snow on ground above 100metres (300feet) falling heavily enough to settle and cover the hills of the Forest Of Dean and Cotswolds albeit temporarily. Lower down saw snow on the cars and grass for a while that evening.

From January 29, the Atlantic component all but disappeared as we looked to the east for our weather and Polar Continental air has become established over the UK. Further light snow fell on January 30 and then the bitter cold Siberian air followed.

The details of this will, along with the January stats will follow next week in what may well turn out to be the coldest start to February since either 1991 or 1996. Indeed, February can turn out colder than January as it did in 1947, 1956, 1986 and 1991.