VERY cold weather with the prospect of snow has been forecast across the East of England for the rest of the week (Tuesday January 4 to Sunday January 10). The Met Office has said there is a moderate risk of severe weather affecting the region and ice and snow causing disruption to the transpo

VERY cold weather with the prospect of snow has been forecast across the East of England for the rest of the week.

The Met Office has said there is a "moderate risk" of severe weather affecting the region and ice and snow causing disruption to the transport network.

Forecast of the East of England

Tuesday evening and tonight

A few light snow showers but much of the night is expected to be dry though rather cloudy. A widespread severe frost with very cold temperatures (minimum -4 �C).

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with snow showers and some longer spells of snow which may become heavy in some places (maximum temperature 0 �C).

Thursday to Saturday

Continuing very cold weather with severe night frosts and daytime temperatures remaining mostly below freezing. There will be further snow with drifting as it will become windy at times.

Sunday January 10 to Tuesday January 19

For Sunday 10 and Monday 11 snow showers are expected to continue to affect eastern parts of the UK, more especially from East Anglia southwards where there will be some strong winds, making it feel bitterly cold.

Elsewhere it is likely to be largely dry, with some sunshine, but it will still feel very cold. Areas of freezing fog may also affect some northern parts.

The very cold conditions look like persisting through much of next week with eastern and especially south-eastern areas seeing a continuing risk of sleet or snow showers whilst western and northern areas see a good deal of dry, bright weather.

There are indications that a change to somewhat less cold conditions may occur during the weekend of 16/17 Jan and into the following week.

The heavy snow that has been affecting Scotland and northern England is moving south and the heaviest falls over the next 24 hours are expected across parts of central and southern England and south-east Wales.

Met Office chief forecaster, Tony Waters, said: "The heaviest snowfall this evening (Tuesday) and tonight is expected across parts of Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire where fresh snowfall of 15 to 20cm is expected widely, and locally in excess of 30cm.

"This is expected to cause disruption to transport networks and could lead to problems with power supplies.