Drivers have been reassured Norfolk has enough grit to keep the county's roads clear, amid forecasts a similar weather event which led to 2018's Beast from the East might be on the way.

The Met Office said a major Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) - a sudden jump in temperatures which can trigger a large area of blocking high pressure - may occur late this month or in early March.

In 2018, such an event led to the Beast from the East, which blanketed Norfolk with snow and shut hundreds of schools.

Eastern Daily Press: Norfolk County Council says it has enough grit to get through the rest of the winterNorfolk County Council says it has enough grit to get through the rest of the winter

The Met Office has stressed the SSW will not necessarily mean a repeat of the Beast from the East.

They said for the next week or so, it is likely to lead to "changeable conditions" with temperatures milder than average.

But at the end of the month and into March, forecasters said: "A period of colder or much colder temperatures remains a small possibility and could bring spells of wintry weather."

Norfolk County Council is monitoring forecasts and bosses said they have plenty of grit available.

Gritters have been out 52 times this winter, two shy of the 54 in 2021/22, with 12,600 tonnes of grit used.

A spokesman for Norfolk County Council said: "Stocks of grit are prepared in advance of winter with new orders placed regularly to replenish what is used.

"We continue to monitor the weather forecasts on a daily basis and have a well-practiced winter service plan to deal with severe winter conditions.

"Following the warmer winter we have experienced, albeit interspersed with a number of cold spells, we are confident grit stocks remain sufficient to keep roads safe until the spring."

Last year, the county council spent £2.6m to grit the 2,200 miles of A, B and some C roads the authority is responsible for.