THE risk of a blizzard occurring next week has been downgraded – but snow could still be on the cards, a local forecaster has said.

As reported on the Daily Echo website yesterday, early forecasts were suggesting that Dorset could see an astonishing 30cm of snow in the Dorset area in the run-up to Christmas.

The Global Forecast System, a worldwide numerical weather prediction system containing a global computer model and variational analysis run by the United States' National Weather Service, has suggested a major blizzard could land on southern England on Friday, December 13.

Twitter-based forecaster Dorset Snow said temperatures would take a tumble to single figures during the daytime and there was a risk of rain and wintry showers.

He previously said Monday’s Global Forecast System op run “shows a low pressure system sinking past the channel (often referred to as a channel low) and dumping up to 30cm of snow in the Dorset area.

"This run will almost certainly not verify, but it does give some hope for some wintry weather in the lead up to Christmas, which hasn’t happened in almost a decade."

Yesterday Dorset Snow said: “Unsurprisingly the risk of a blizzard next week has been downgraded, but it does look cold with scope for some wintry showers and possibly some snow.”