Freezing cold temperatures are going to continue throughout Sunday
Matt Lee Senior Multimedia Journalist
09:43, 04 Jan 2026
Cold weather is set to continue. File image(Image: PA)
Essex is facing a freezing Sunday with more sub-zero temperatures forecast throughout the day. Meteorologists are expecting more cold weather to grip the East, including across Essex.
An amber cold health alert remains in place for the East of England until 10am on January 9. The UK Health Security Agency issued the warning as forecast weather is likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services.
This could include a rise in deaths, a likely increase in demand for health services, and challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18C which could lead to more risk to vulnerable people. The warning comes amid prolonged periods of cold weather being forecast for Chelmsford and the wider Essex region.
BBC Weather is currently forecasting temperatures to barely rise above zero degrees on Sunday (January 4). The weather experts predict it to reach 1C between 1pm and 2pm in Chelmsford, but be as cold as -3C at around 9am, and -1C from 4pm onwards.
The forecast below is based on predictions for Chelmsford. All temperatures and conditions are correct at the time of writing.
Hour-by-hour weather forecast for Chelmsford
9am – Sunny, -3C, feels like -8C
10am – Sunny, -1C, feels like -6C
11am – Sunny, 0C, feels like -4C
12pm – Sunny, 0C, feels like -4C
1pm – Sunny, 1C, feels like -4C
2pm – Sunny, 1C, feels like -3C
3pm – Sunny, 0C, feels like -4C
4pm – Sunny, -1C, feels like -5C
5pm – Clear sky, -1C, feels like -6C
6pm – Clear sky, -2C, feels like -6C
7pm – Clear sky, -2C, feels like -6C
8pm – Partly cloudy -2C, feels like -7C
9pm – Partly cloudy, -2C, feels like -7C
10pm – Light cloud, -2C, feels like -7C
11pm – Light cloud, -3C, feels like -7C
Met Office predicts temperatures to feel ‘sub zero’ through Monday
Tom Morgan, a meteorologist at the Met Office, warned of lower temperatures throughout Sunday night. Where skies stay clearest for longest, and in rural areas, temperatures could dip as low as minus 10 or minus 12. He said that even in towns and cities, minus 3 to minus 5 could be felt quite widely.
He added: “As we move into Monday further snow and ice is likely in many parts of the UK. But a fine, dry and sunny day to come for many inland areas stretching from central Scotland down towards the Midlands and southern England, here barely a cloud in the sky for much of the day.
“Once again wintry showers affecting parts of Northern Ireland, Wales, the south West. A greater focus for some wintry showers across north-eastern England and maybe East Anglia compared to today [Sunday]. But once again northern Scotland seeing the most frequent snow showers, although even here they won’t be quite as heavy or as numerous as they would have been over the weekend.
“Another cold day to come though wherever you are, temperatures struggling to rise much more than two or three degrees above freezing for most. And when you factor in the breeze, which will still be fairly brisk across some north-eastern areas, it will certainly feel sub-zero.”