With temperatures set to reach into the sub-zeroes this week for the first time since March, meteorologists are warning of the possibility of snowfall.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued an alert level three response for severe winter weather. This is typically triggered when there is a mean temperature of 2C, or widespread ice and heavy snow poses a risk.

Between 6pm on Wednesday and 9am Monday, December 12, the UK’s weather service warns of cold conditions as air from the Arctic spreads south across the country. Coastal areas are susceptible to wintry showers, which bring along icy patches which could bring roads to a near standstill.

Social and healthcare services will be briefed on how to best take action to protect those susceptible to the cold weather.

This brings the perfect opportunity for the first dustings of snow this winter to fall from the sky.

Deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, Rebekah Sherwin said:"We can expect to see some snow and wintry showers further south as the week progresses, particularly in coastal areas or over higher ground."

As snowfall is predicted further North in the country, residents from across Sussex are hoping to catch a glimpse of snow, seen as a staple of the festive season.

Brighton

Dry and cold will be the key themes over the coming week, as overnight temperatures plummet to as low as -4C on Thursday and Friday. Despite this, daytime temperatures will stay above freezing.

In recent years, snow has been hard to come by in the city as the sea winds, and the South Downs act as a natural barrier to colder weather.

All hope is not out of the window just yet though, as weather can often be unpredictable!

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Crawley 

Crawley will feel the brunt of the cold weather as temperatures are set to reach as low as -5C nearing the end of the week. 

However, for snow to form, a chance of precipitation is needed. Across the county, this is staying below 5 per cent for the most part, greatly reducing the chance of the beloved wintry weather.

 

Worthing

Freezing temperatures are predicted beyond daylight hours in this coastal city, with the end of this week providing the most challenging and cold conditions.

Although there are some uncertainties around how long this cold spell will last it is expected to stay cold into next week with temperatures remaining well below average for the time of year.

 

And, it's a bit too early to predict a white Christmas just yet, however initial forecasts suggest this is unlikely. It is generally thought that Sussex has not seen snow on Christmas day in this millenium.