SEA FREEZES AS BIG CHILL CONTINUES IN DORSET (From Bournemouth Echo)

SEA FREEZES AS BIG CHILL CONTINUES IN DORSET

3:57pm Wednesday 7th January 2009 in

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DORSET got so cold the sea froze on Tuesday night. And temperatures plunged to –10 degrees celcius at Bournemouth Airport.

A half-mile stretch along the shoreline reaching about 20 yards out to sea is covered in ice, while this picture of seagulls shows that the inner harbour has also frozen over.

The coldest place appeared to be at Winfrith, which reached –10.2, the lowest minimum temperature in 17 years.

See all our Big Chill pictures here and pictures from our Flickr group here

Weather experts say that low daytime temperatures and frosts overnight will continue this week, but the worst should be over.

Dr Richard Wild of WeatherNet said: “It will not be as cold tonight (Wednesday). I expect temperatures to fall back to –2. There may be a little bit of rain, sleet or snow coming towards us in the later part of this afternoon but nothing of any significance.

“We are looking at a slightly milder temperatures to return, seven to eight degrees celcius in the day, and not falling back as far at night. It will be much milder but more normal for January temperatures by the end of the weekend. We certainly have had the worst.”

Dr Wild said the winter temperatures had been milder in the last 10 years but the latest cold snap was not overly cold when compared to even 30 years ago.

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This picture, of the sea at Sandbanks, was sent to us by a reader via Twitter.