IT'S the big question facing households across Suffolk today. Has the county had its first snow of the winter?

IT'S the big question facing households across Suffolk today. Has the county had its first snow of the winter?

Yes, said those who were out and found white powder covering gardens, cars and roads last night.

But Evening Star weatherman Ken Blowers disagreed - claiming it was a mixture of hail and hoarfrost.

He insisted: “Last night the temperature was falling below freezing and there was a shower of hail.

What may have appeared to be snow on the ground could have been hoarfrost, augmented by another layer of rime, which is crystallised ice formed in fog.

We've had so many winds coming from the south west and not enough of our usual dose of cold easterly winds from the continent. Winds from the Azores meant that, for two days during February, it was warmer here than in Barcelona and Corfu.”

One Felixstowe man was convinced that he saw the genuine article when he returned home last night.

He said: “I got home and was overjoyed to see the white rooftops of cars. It was very clearly snow.”

A smattering of snow was also seen from the window of The Evening Star offices earlier this year - but there remains doubt whether that was the real thing or “ryme” - heavy air frost. And Mr Blowers does not expect another snowfall in the near future.

He said: “The temperature will continue to climb for the next few days but after that it's anyone's guess.

We may see snow as late as the end of this month. One year, I saw 12 inches of it in April caused by a polar depression coming down from the Atlantic.”