GRITTERS are out and about in Dorset this evening as overnight temperatures plummet again.

Snow made a brief return to the South Coast with flurries reported across Bournemouth and Poole on Thursday.

Biting easterly winds, forcing temperatures down well below the January average, are expected to continue for the next few days.

But weather experts say there will not be a repeat of the sub-zero conditions seen in December when the deep freeze caused travel disruption for millions of rail, road and air travellers.

The mercury could plunge to minus 7C tomorrow, minus 3C on Saturday and minus 4C on Sunday with Monday expected to be a less chilly day.

Gareth Harvey from MeteoGroup said there was not expected to be any accumulation of snow in the region, with just a few snowflakes.

He added: “We are not expecting any settling and most places are due to stay dry.

“We have got quite a lot of low cloud across parts of England and Wales.”

Last month was the coldest December for a century, with provisional figures showing 2010 was the twelfth coldest year recorded since 1910 in the UK.

The average temperature for December was minus 1C, significantly colder than the long-term average of 4.2C and lower than the previous coldest December in 1981, when temperatures averaged 0.1C over the month.