ESSEX is on course for its coldest March in more than 50 years with hopes of a bright and warm bank holiday weekend fading fast.
With daffodils lying limp under the leftover snow from the weekend's blizzard-like conditions, spring is still clinging onto winter's chill with the county on track to endure its coldest March since 1962.
Police were called to 12 car accidents in the space of just ten hours on Saturday as the snow caused chaos on the roads, after solid snow throughout Friday night.
On Sunday morning a car careered off the road and down a steep bank in Danbury, while the fire service was called when a taxi skidded on black ice in Saffron Walden, flipping the car on its side.
Essex Weather Centre expert Tom Defty believes Easter temperatures are unlikely to pick up.
"There's no end in sight. Something like this gets locked in and stays for weeks, if not months," he told the Chronicle, explaining that eastern winds are coming from an exceptionally cold North Sea. "One of the bizarre things about this winter is that sea ice is at record levels. The North Sea is ten degrees cooler than it should be."
He continued: "Because we have got stubborn cloud cover nothing is moving anywhere. It's only melting on the roads and pavements because they do generate some heat during the day."
On Sunday, Essex saw a so-called Ice Day because the mercury did not climb above the 0C between 7am and 7pm.
"It is usually a one-in-ten year event but some parts of Essex have already seen it between eight and ten times this year," said Tom.
He added that Shoeburyness experienced temperatures of -2 degrees at noon on Sunday, described by Tom as "temperatures you are hard-pushed to get in the darkest days of December."
And as a result of the whiteout, many weekend events suffered too. Jackie Lane is a Neighbourhood Environmental Action Team officer at Chelmsford City Council.
She organised a litter-pick along the River Chelmer on Saturday, which had to be cancelled due to the weather.
"Really it wasn't safe to do – it was very slippery by the river and you can't really pick litter in the snow because you can't see it. It just wasn't worth it," she said.
Jackie and her colleagues are used to seeing around 100 people turn up to their popular litter-picks, but despite contacting as many people as possible, they did not manage to pre-warn everyone.
"Two Scout groups turned up, as did a gentleman with his two young children and a couple of others but I had to turn them away," said Jackie.
"We are really grateful to them – people are so supportive."
Meanwhile, the Essex Country and Game Fair held at Cressing Temple Barns was popular with dogs walkers, but saw few others brave the weather to attend.
RHS Hyde Hall's Grow Your Own weekend in Rettendon suffered too.
With this March expected to be the coldest in 50 years and with the North Sea ten degrees cooler than average, the people of Essex are being warned to keep their coats, gloves and hats close by.
"This year we might not see a spring whatsoever," said Tom. "But the positives of a cold March are that it comes out a very hot, dry summer." He added: "This time last year it was 21 degrees."