A RARE weather phenomenon known as thunder snow battered parts of Suffolk last night bringing the heaviest of the blizzard conditions coating areas in around 12cm of the white stuff.

A RARE weather phenomenon known as thunder snow battered parts of Suffolk last night bringing the heaviest of the blizzard conditions coating areas in around 12cm of the white stuff.

The thunder and lightning witnessed over Ipswich and parts of Suffolk is according to weather experts a well known but rarely seen spectacle.

Warmer temperatures over the North Sea caused the stormy clouds to dump up to 12cm of snow in parts of the county, including Wattisham.

Forecaster John Law at Weatherquest said: “It is called thunder snow and is very strange to see, a rare but well known weather phenomenon.

“Like thunder storms in the summer producing heavy rain, thunder snow storms cause intense localised downfalls.”

And as the snow flurries are expected to continue dusting Suffolk and Essex throughout today, plummeting temperatures overnight will create hazardous conditions on the roads.

The latest weather forecast is predicting isolated snow showers in parts of the county today with temperatures remaining cold.

The mercury will struggle to reach much more than 0C in inland areas, climbing to between 2C and 3C on the coast.

But weather experts have said the worst of the snow blizzards are behind us.

Mr Law warned motorists to take extreme care overnight and into tomorrow morning as melting snow freezes on the county's roads.

He said the plummeting temperatures overnight could drop as low as between -3C and -4C in spots bringing a new set of problems for the morning.

“We are really going to find any heavy snow lingering as the temperatures stay very cold today and drop further tonight,” Mr Law added.

“There will be the odd snow flurry overnight but generally it will be another cold night and any melting snow will quickly refreeze causing icy conditions.”

Did you witness the thunder snow storms? Send your photos to suffolkpicturedesk@archant.co.uk or call the Newsdesk on 01473 324732.