A BRIEF respite from the cold winter is expected after weeks of heavy snowfall and bitter temperatures.

There was snow predicted again last night as a weather system – optimistically described as a “warm front” – headed west over the country bringing damp air from the Atlantic.

However, temperatures are now rising again and although there will still be some rain and sleet, the snow should now hold off for the rest of the year.

Chris Bell from Norwich-based WeatherQuest said this signalled a change in the weather leading up to the New Year weekend.

He said: “Things will get a bit milder over the next few days. We’re not talking that mild – not into double figures celsius, but we are talking about four or five degrees rather than the zero or minus daytime figures we have seen at times during December.

“We’re not going to get any more record lows over the next few days at least.” But he warned that overnight frosts could persist: “We should see a slow thaw over the next few days. Any snow left should disappear and any lakes or ponds that have been frozen should return to water.

“But you’ll still have overnight frosts – it will be like a normal winter.”

Last week the government’s Met Office had indicated that the warming pattern during the second half of this week could herald the start of a milder spell – but they have now reined back on that forecast and are warning us to be prepared for more cold weather.

Their experts now fear the colder weather from the east could win any struggle, bringing back more cold winds from the east and north east.

They predict there could be more snow later in January – although this is most likely in the north east of Britain.

Mr Bell said that at the end of this week another hazard could come into East Anglia.

He said: “The ground will be cold and the air will be damp and still above it – so there could be mist and fog forming.”

And eventually the high pressure that causes that could move west. “That would push the Atlantic weather out of the way again and lead to more cold weather – but there is nothing to suggest it will be as cold as it has been over the last few weeks,” he added.