FOLLOWING a national heatwave with highs of 27 degrees yesterday, weather forecasters are predicting slightly cooler temperatures this weekend.

Thousands of people flocked to Dorset's beaches on Friday as Britain enjoyed its hottest day of the year.

Temperatures soared to nearly 30 degrees, after the Met Office issued a Level 2 heat alert for the whole of the southwest region. 

The weather is now expected to cool off with a slight dip in temperature heading into next week.

Weather enthusiast Dorset Sun said: "Tomorrow looks resolved at last. It should stay very warm, but much more overcast with limited brightness. We should avoid any rain. There are no thunderstorms in the pipeline."

Here's the weather forecast for the rest of the weekend:

Saturday, June 18 is expected to bring sunny intervals changing to cloudy by lunchtime, with highs of 26 degrees and lows of 11.

  • 7am – sunny intervals, 17C
  • 10am – sunny intervals, 22C
  • 1pm – cloudy, 25C
  • 4pm – cloudy, 25C
  • 7pm – cloudy, 18C
  • 10pm – cloudy, 14C

Sunday June 19 is expected to be cloudy changing to light rain by late morning, with highs of 18 degrees and lows of 13.

  • 7am – cloudy, 11C
  • 10am – light rain, 13C
  • 1pm – cloudy, 15C
  • 4pm – light rain shower, 17C
  • 7pm – cloudy, 17C
  • 10pm – cloudy, 16C

Although it will be cooler, the good weather is expected to last until early next week, Monday will continue to have sunny intervals with high of 20 degrees.