Warnings and advice as freezing temperatures set to hit the region

The Met Office has stepped up its cold weather alert for the England, although Bournemouth and Poole's Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) has already been activated for the last two nights.

Dorset Highways has started preparations ahead of the cold weather and has warned scheduled surfacing work may be cancelled and rescheduled.

The Met office issued level 2 alert, meaning ‘alert and readiness’ earlier this week, but on Friday morning it was upgraded to an amber level 3 alert, which means ‘severe weather action’.

A statement from the national weather service said there is a “99% probability of severe cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow between 0900 on Friday 23 Feb and 0800 on Thursday 01 Mar in parts of England.”

The Met Office said: “During Monday and Tuesday, snow showers are expected to move into eastern areas, before spreading westwards across England. These have the potential to align into bands, bringing some significant accumulations.

They continued: “Not everyone will see snowfall, however 5-10cm is possible where showers do line up, with the greatest risk across eastern and southeastern counties. These will also be accompanied by bitterly cold temperatures, and a significant wind chill.”

There are four different levels of cold weather alert, the highest is a level 4 and means the weather conditions could cause a national emergency.

A spokesperson for the Met Office told the Echo on Thursday that temperatures will struggle to get above freezing next week and it could feel like minus 6 or minus seven.

The current forecast says it could feel as cold as minus 11C by the early hours of Thursday morning due to the wind chill.

Due to continued low temperatures in the region SWEP was in place in recent nights in Bournemouth and Poole.

Under the protocol, the Bournemouth and Poole Rough Sleeper team will be attempting to offer shelter to all people sleeping rough.

Public Health England (PHE) has urged people to take extra care as forecasts predict freezing temperatures in the coming days across the region.

The Met Office has forecast that temperatures will drop over the weekend and for people to prepare for a prolonged spell of cold weather from Monday onwards.

James Mapstone, deputy regional director for PHE’s South region, said: “We are expecting some bitter weather over the weekend and early next week which may come as a bit of a shock for some after the more recent mild weather.

“We urge people to remember to check weather forecasts and plan their day carefully around the weather. Take extra care if outside to prevent any accidental slips from icy or snowy pavements. Clear paths outside your house if possible.

“When indoors it is critical that people stay warm, particularly if 65 or over, have long term health conditions or are young children. Wear lots of thin layers, eat regular warm and well-balanced meals, and remember that moving about will help keep you warm.

“We know as the weather gets cold we see more people with pneumonia, stroke and hearts attacks. There are some simple ways to reduce these risks such as keeping rooms above 18 degrees C or 65 degrees Fahrenheit and, if you smoke, now is a good time to think about quitting. Look out for any vulnerable neighbours and if you think they could be having a stroke Act FAST and call 999."

Dorset Highways currently has 7,5000 tonnes of salt in stock and will be using two driving crews each week during the cold snap.

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

Martin Hill, operations service manager, 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.”