It’s bad news if you’re hoping for a rainy August in Peterborough - forecasters deliver verdict after ‘exceptionally dry’ July
The city is in desperate need of a good downpour
Peterborough remains in desperate need of significant rain after officially entering drought earlier this week.
On Wednesday (July 29), the Environment Agency confirmed that East Anglia was one of seven parts of the country in drought after record-low rainfall and high temperatures.
July is set to be the driest month on record, with England having just 7% of expected rainfall.
An Anglian Water-imposed hosepipe ban remains in force, meaning that Peterborough residents are unable to use a hosepipe for things like watering grass or cleaning cars.
This week Peterborough experienced its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures hitting 32C.
Could August provide some much-needed rain for Peterborough?
Unfortunately, it looks like Peterborough’s exceptionally dry summer could get worse before it gets better.
Barring some light drizzle forecast next Wednesday (August 5) and light rain showers next Friday (August 7), the outlook looks to be dominated by dry conditions.
In fact, there are even signs that another heatwave could build during the week beginning Monday, August 10.
The Met Office’s long range forecast, which covers the period between Friday, August 14 and Friday, August 28, says: “Dry and settled conditions look likely to dominate much of this period with high pressure patterns tending to affect the UK.
“This may be interrupted at times by Atlantic frontal systems, especially in the north, or thunderstorms in the south.
“However, overall, rainfall amounts will likely be below normal. Temperatures will probably be above normal and some spells of hot weather and heatwaves are possible, especially in the south.”
Temperatures in Peterborough during the first week of August are expected to remain in the mid-to-high 20s, with cloud preventing temperatures from reaching 30C.
But with very little rain in the forecast, there appears to be no end in sight for the region’s drought.