Wrap up warm for snowy Easter

What a difference a year makes. From suncream and ice creams last year, Easter 2008 is all about woolly hats and warming drinks.

Where sun shone last Easter weekend, snow fell today. And temperatures today were not getting any higher than 5C (41F), while last year they hit a record 25C (77F) as people stripped into their shorts and T-shirts.

Of course the comparison isn't quite like for like. Easter this year is at the earliest possible time, while last year it fell at the start of April.

But the difference in climate between the two holidays makes all the difference to how we feel over the holiday weekend – and for big attractions in the West Midlands it will mean the loss of tens of thousands of pounds of hard cash.

The Festival of Transport at Weston Park last year was packed, with crowds bathing in the warm sunshine.

The same event this year will suffer from the wintry weather, although organisers are determined to make a success of the weekend.

Andrea Webster from Weston Park said: "It's difficult to tell how this year's weather will affect the numbers.

"Because we have the house as well, there is lots to do without actually going outside."

Peter Suddock, Dudley Zoo chief executive, said: "I get really tired of people saying the weather will be really, really bad because it never turns out to be as bad as they say. People get put off when they think the weather is going to be awful but we are still expecting lots of people to turn up."

John Warner, Express & Star weatherman, said: "Some of the problem this year is that Easter is so early.

"This weekend, the weather is particularly bad. It will be one of the worst we have had all winter."

Temperatures will drop tonight to as low as -2C (28F) and snow showers will continue through until Easter Monday.