DORSET forecasters have given an update on whether it could snow ahead of an incoming cold spell next week.

Temperatures are set to dip during the first part of the week following a Sudden Stratospheric Warming which is the same event that caused the Beast from the East in 2018 bringing widespread disruption.

However, despite colder conditions on the way, weather enthusiasts in Dorset have said there is not yet any certainty if any snow will fall.

During the Beast from the East, schools closed, hundreds of cars were abandoned with armed forces called in and weather warnings were issued. 

Bournemouth Echo:

Bournemouth & Poole Weather said it appears it will turn “chilly” through the early part of next week as a colder northerly sets in with overnight frosts returning.

Daytime temperatures will be below average at 4C to 6C for three or four days, however, he said it won’t be anything unusual for early March.

He said: “There’s the chance of the odd wintry shower however any prolonged or laying snow looks unlikely, even in the most optimal circumstances getting falling and laying snow from a northerly in Dorset is very difficult, moisture laden clouds bring wintery precipitation will generally dry out over the long land track from the North Sea.”

UK Extreme Weather said: “The models are a bit all over the place, but a cold spell does look likely next week. Longevity and snow are really tricky at the moment.

“As things stand there’s certainly a chance of some snow if any weather systems bump into the cold air. But it’s impossible to go into any detail on that for now.

“It’s unlikely to be as cold as December as the sun is a lot higher now and any cold pool sitting over us will moderate due to the strength of the sun in early March.

“Basically, we are a couple of days away from having any certainty in depth of cold and or snow.”

Dorset Snow added: "Next week high pressure will develop across the North Atlantic and then up into Greenland.

"This will bring a period of cold northerly/north easterly winds. A trough is expected across large parts of northern Europe and this will likely bring widespread wintry showers during the early part of next week.

"These will be most common in the northern part of the UK, although some of these showers are expected to make it down into southern England.

"The cold spell is likely to last between five and seven days with a smaller chance of a more widespread snow event during the latter part of next week.

"This is due to low pressure systems from the Atlantic colliding with cold air located over the UK."

Looking further ahead, the Met Office said temperatures are “most likely to be below average overall during at least the first half of March. But values are expected to be nearer average overall later on. Within this, shorter colder spells remain possible.”