Weather experts got blown off course after forecasting Atherstone and district would be blanketed in snow this morning

Rush-hour traffic in and out of the town was due to be met with "accumulations" of the white stuff on Thursday – with a "75 per cent" chance of precipitation.

Rain did fall overnight with temperatures hovering around freezing.

But the area seems to have escaped the worst of the "heavy snow showers" predicted by the Met Office and now light rain and "slight breeze" is expected instead.

By lunchtime the district should be bathed in bright, crisp sunshine with temperatures reaching 6 Celsius (43 Fahrenheit).

On Friday and Saturday the forecast remains distinctly unsettled with Yellow rain warnings in force.

Caroline Douglass, director of Incident Management at the Environment Agency, said: "We have seen our third weekend of exceptional river levels and stormy weather, continuing into this week.

"With the effects of climate change, we need to prepare for more frequent periods of extreme weather like this.

"People need to be aware of their flood risk, sign up to flood warnings, make a flood plan and not to drive or walk through flood water."