A BLAST of freezing weather will hit Dorset this weekend.
Temperatures are set to plummet with the Met Office predicting an icy cold Saturday and Sunday.
The mercury will hover between 2-5C, with the 'feels like' temperatures as low as minus 6C on Sunday morning.
Although sunshine is forecast for the weekend, it will start to turn colder on Friday morning, with temperatures at a maximum 5C, although it will feel like -2C up to 1C.
Saturday is now set to be the coldest day, with early morning feeling as cold as -5C in Bournemouth, rising to a balmy 'feels like' 1C by the afternoon. Northern parts of the county will feel like -7C.
There are hail showers forecast for this Swanage for this evening, and even snow showers for Thursday night.
Wednesday, 10pm.
Thursday's forecast map
And although these temperatures are normal for this time of year, some people may be caught out, due to the mild winter so far.
Dr Angie Bone of Public Health England (PHE) is reminding people to look out for others, keep warm indoors and take care when out and about.
Dr Bone said: "Over the past few weeks we've had some very disruptive weather, but temperatures have been quite mild - now the weather will be colder over much of the country, which will be a significant change.
"It's so important to remember that cold does kill, even in places where the temperatures aren't at their lowest. Most of our advice at PHE on keeping warm in cold weather may seem like common sense but people should think about how the cold weather can affect them."
The current cold spell has been caused by a push of warm air northwards over the eastern United States at the weekend. This has led to changes in the shape of the jet stream across the Atlantic and has halted the progress of weather systems towards the UK. In turn this has allowed cold air from northeast Europe to move across the UK, bringing wintry conditions.
And the Met Office say there may be the possibility for snow in some areas of the country next week, before we see more mild weather set in.
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