A NEW alert for “severe cold weather” has been issued for Dorset until the end of next week.

The amber level 3 alert came into force at 9am on Friday, December 9, and will end on Friday, December 16.

A previous cold weather alert had been place since December 7 and was originally due to end on Monday, December 12.

Read more: Will it snow and, if so, when? The latest outlook for Dorset

The Met Office said: “Very cold nights are expected over the weekend into the early part of next week, with widespread moderate, locally severe, frosts, and some freezing fog patches in places.

“Daytime temperatures will remain low, with some places struggling to rise above freezing, more especially where any fog patches linger.

Read more: Pictures of a frozen Bournemouth beach during cold spell

"Wintry showers will continue to affect some coasts, pushing into some inland areas at times, bringing a risk of icy patches and slight accumulations of snow.

“There is currently a 30 per cent risk of up to 5cm of snow on Sunday around London and the Southeast.

“From around mid-week next week, Atlantic weather systems may try to push north or northeast into the south or southwest of the UK, which could bring some stronger winds and a risk of snow.

“However, this is currently low confidence as there is a good deal of uncertainty regarding the proximity to the UK of any such weather systems. A further update to this Alert is likely early next week.”

Read more: Will it snow in Dorset this winter and what needs to happen?

An amber alert is the second highest warning that can be issued with a red level 4 alert the most severe.

Over the next few days, daytime temperatures of around 3C are forecast but it will feel more like OC or below.

During the night, it will feel more like minus 7C or 8C.

Currently no weather warnings are in force for snow.

As reported, Bournemouth-based weather enthusiast Dorset Snow said there was potential for snow on Saturday night or Sunday morning and an area of low pressure could still produce heavy snow next week but this is expected to fizzle out or slide into France.