Wintry conditions in Hertfordshire are set to stay into early next week, forecasters have said, while also revealing longer-range outlooks and the likelihood of snow.

The Met Office says the UK is currently sitting in cold air from Scandinavia, with weather turning “much colder for the rest of this week and the start of next week”.

Daytime temperatures in Watford and surrounding areas will be rooted in low single figures, while overnight temperatures are forecast to be below freezing until the weekend.

Watford in the coming days

The town is set to be between 4C and 3C during the day until Saturday, with temperatures dropping to between -1C and -3C overnight. However, those wanting snow in Hertfordshire will likely be disappointed, at least for now, as it is currently only thought to be a possibility further north and around coasts.

Following a “very cold” night with “sharp frost and some icy stretches possible”, Thursday is set to be largely dry with some autumnal sunshine and a maximum 4C.

On Friday and Saturday, the East of England region will “feel cold during the day with overnight frosts and some flurries of snow shower possible around coasts”, according to the Met Office.

Between Sunday and Tuesday temperatures are predicted to rise slightly to 5C during the day.

December 4 to 13

For the forecast for between December 4 and 13, the Met Office said: “A fair amount of uncertainty at the start of this period as milder and more generally unsettled conditions towards the south and west try and extend further north and east.”

Moving towards mid-December, it says that “more generally unsettled and milder conditions look most probable with any colder interludes likely to be short-lived”.

And what about Christmas (December 13 to 27)?

“Conditions are most likely to be changeable through this period. Wetter and windier than average conditions are slightly more likely than normal, especially in the west and northwest. Temperatures are most likely to be near or above average overall, although this doesn't rule out some spells of cold weather and associated wintry hazards.”