Snow showers have been falling across parts of Essex today as a new cold snap has seen temperatures plummet.

And forecasters are warning of a chilly few days ahead, with temperatures dropping below freezing at night.

Most of the snow showers are expected to ease by this afternoon, but the Met Office says temperatures will struggle to get anywhere near the average for this time of year. 

So here is the Met Office's latest forecast for the county for the week ahead:

Monday

Parts of Essex are expected to see a mix of sunshine and cloud throughout the rest of today, with most of the snow showers now passing by.

It will remain windy throughout the afternoon however, with some coastal areas seeing winds of up to 26mph.

Temperatures will peak at around 8c but forecasters say it will feel more like 4c. It will then drop below freezing overnight and down as low as 2c in some areas.

Tuesday

A bright and sunny start is predicted in many parts of the county tomorrow, with almost no threat of any further snow showers.

Cloud is expected to thicken into the afternoon, with a top temperature of 6c predicted.

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However, strong northerly winds – which could reach 29mph in some places – will mean it will feel more like 1c or even freezing.

Temperature will plummet once again tomorrow night, and could even reach -4c.

Wednesday

Another sunny and cloudy day is predicate for Wednesday, with little threat of rain or snow.

Temperatures will remain below the April average, and peak at around 7c.

The wind is expected to die down by Wednesday but it will remain breezy, making the temperature feel more like 4c.

Coastal areas will see night-time temperatures stay above freezing, but could well drop below 0c further inland.

Thursday

The cold snap will begin to ease by Thursday, with highs of around 11c predicted.

It is expected to be a cloudy day with very little threat of rain.

Night-time temperatures are predicted to be around 5c.

Friday – Sunday

Some rain may be seen in Essex on Friday before it dries out and temperatures will hit around 11c.

Daytime temperatures could drop down to single digits again over the weekend, with the Met Office warning of another potential cold snap hitting the UK.

Forecasters say there is some uncertainty how far south the cold weather will go, but it is expected to bring yet more wintry weather in some areas.

Last week, the Essex Weather Centre warned temperatures were unlikely to get back to normal or above normal until the middle of April.