Essex: '5 to 10 Days' Of Snow Predicted

Weather forecasters in Essex think there could be up to 10 days of snow across the county from tomorrow.

Tom Defty from the Essex Weather Centre says it will start falling in the south of the county on the evening of Saturday, January 12 but could spread. 

He told Heart: "It's mainly going to be over Kent but it could clip south Essex but it could move north and effect the whole of Essex. 

"If we miss the snow on Saturday there's the risk of further showers on Sunday and then Monday another low pressure system moves in and throughout next week there's multiple chances of snow." 

How long the snow will actually stick around for though is difficult to predict. Mr Defty says there are conflicting reports depending on who you listen to: "The Met Office seem very confident it will last 15 days but some of the American forecasters are saying it will be just two or three days. 

"I'm kind of in the middle, I think it's going to be about five to 10 days but it's not going to be as cold as some of the newspapers have been saying, minus 20 I think that's a bit extreme." 

After the initial snowfall on Saturday, the wind could push it up the coast hitting Harwich, Southend and Burnham-on-Crouch while more western parts of Essex could miss out completely. 

Mr Defty insists it is difficult to predict the path of weather like this though and people in all parts should be prepared for it: "Everyone should be prepared for the cold, that's a dead cert. 

"Even yesterday - Thursday - temperatures only reached one degree in Chelmsford. That's an idea that the cold spell's here, but what will happen over the next couple of days is wonder to everyone really."