Heavy snow expected to hit the South today

Snow showers are expected this week, heralding a bitterly cold spell across the country. Temperatures today will struggle to climb above 0C (32F).

Heavy snowfall is expected today in southern parts of Suffolk and Essex, and northern Kent. Some areas are expected to get 10-15cm (4-6ins) of snow.

Most eastern coastal parts of England will have a covering of snow by the end of the week.

During the week, snow showers may develop further north and in central England but it will be the east that bears the brunt of the snow.

"A lot of places away from the east are not going to get any snow although they might get the odd flurry coming through," said Paul Knightley, of the PA WeatherCentre. The furthest west the cold weather could reach would be Oxford and the Isle of Wight, he predicted. London could see snowfall today or tonight.

Freezing temperatures are expecteduntil tomorrow night.

Night time temperatures of -5C are predicted, plunging as low as -8C in areas where there is a covering of snow.

On Thursday, a new front is expected to come in from the Atlantic, initially bringing snow to western parts but with milder air coming in behind.

There should be heavy snow in parts of Scotland on Friday before the thaw begins on Saturday.

Drivers are warned to take extra care on the roads.

* Police were last night investigating a Christmas Day road crash which left three teenagers dead, and a woman, a seven-month-old baby and 15-year-old boy injured. The collision happened on the A47 at Tilney All Saints, Norfolk, police said. A police spokesman said two males were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while a female died later at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at nearby King's Lynn. Emergency service workers said all three were in their late teens.