Dorset is preparing for a big freeze with temperatures set to plummet over the coming days.

The county could even see snow next week in what could be the most prolonged period of cold weather since 2013.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow for Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Snow showers or longer periods of snow are expected on Tuesday and heavy snow showers are expected on Wednesday.

The Met Office warned may cause travel delays on roads with some vehicles and passengers becomign starnded.

There may also be delays or cancellations to rail and air travel and rural communities could become cut off.

Power cuts may also occur and other services, such as mobile phones, may be affected.

A cold spell, which is being dubbed the Beast of the East, is set to bring in cold air from Siberia.

Grahame Madge from the Met Office said it would get very cold for the whole of the UK, particularly the south, and it could last for sometime, and certainly into March.

He said typically that at this time of year we would get wet and windy weather, but next week we would see temperatures struggling to get above freezing with some very heavy frosts.

Overnight temperatures could dip as low as minus 5C or minus 6C, but could be slightly higher in coastal locations in Dorset.

With day and night time temperatures set to plummet, Dorset Highways is gearing up for a change in activities.

Due to minus temperatures predicted at night, any scheduled surfacing work may have to be cancelled and rescheduled.

During the day, ground temperatures are going to stay low and may result in other normal daily activities slowing or coming to a halt.

Gangs will be directed onto winter weather duties – topping up salt bins and gritting community links as well as the main priority network.

Martin Hill, operations service manager at Dorset Highways, said: “We’ll be assessing each day as it comes to decide which activities we can carry out and how best to deploy our workers.

“If we get the low temperatures they’re predicting – down to minus seven at night, and not getting much above freezing during the day – it’s possible we’ll be gritting during the day and at night. And the community link roads may be added to our routes.

“We have to get the grit on the road before the surface freezes and the salt is activated by vehicles driving over it.

“If you find yourself behind one of our trucks, please be patient.

“The grit will make roads appear wet, as it stops any moisture on the ground and in the air from freezing.

“The downside is that the roads will look dirty, and cars will get dirty, from this.”

Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions – reducing speed and increasing stopping distance – check tyres, brakes and lights are in good working order.