Peterborough has had one of the warmest summers for two decades, with plenty of blue skies and sunshine throughout the last few months.

We are currently in the latest heatwave of the year, giving families the chance to get out and enjoy the sights and sounds of Peterborough in the summer holidays.

But how does this summer compare to previous summers in Peterborough? Why has it been so warm – and when will the current heatwave end?

We asked meteorologist Trevor Pratt, from Peterborough Weather Watch to explain it all.

The summer has been one of the warmest in recent years

placeholder image — The summer has been one of the warmest in recent years

He said: “My Summer Averages (from 2006-2024) are that the mean maximum temperature is 22.1°C, mean minimum is 12.9°C, and the average rainfall is 157.5mm

“For this summer so far (up to Aug 13), the mean maximum is 24.3°C, the mean minimum is 13.9°C and the rainfall is 100.7mm

“At a current Max Mean of 24.3°C, this summer currently equals my warmest summer (2022), in my data series between 2006-2024.

“The reason for the heat we have had on several occasions this year, has been due to spells of warm air advection from the South and warm ex-tropical air masses being pushed NE across the UK.

“For the immediate future, it still looks to remain warm/very warm next few days and into next week, with temperatures in the range 24°C to 26°C, with little sign of any significant rainfall.

"Beyond Wednesday next week, there are some signals of temperatures falling away, and perhaps an increased risk of some showers around.”

With the hot, dry weather, Anglian Water have been urging people to be careful with their water usage.

A spokesperson said: “As we hit another spike of hot weather this week, we're asking customers to continue to be water wise to help us protect the region by leaving as much water in the environment as possible. This is because we can only take so much water out of the environment while leaving enough for nature to thrive.

“From using leftover water from your bath or paddling pool to water plants in the garden instead of using the hosepipe and holding off washing your car or patio until the warm weather is over - these are just some simple changes we can all make to ensure supplies remain stable this summer.

“We saw some rainfall in July which has helped river levels across the region, however the ground is very dry making it harder for the soil to absorb water - especially when there's sudden downpours. Our teams are also working around the clock repairing leaks during this time, which can occur when the ground naturally moves as the temperature changes.

“We're continuing to monitor the situation closely, and we don't want to put a restriction in place unless we absolutely need to. This is why we're asking customers to continue in playing their part by using a little less water this summer. You can find out how you can help here: https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/help-and-advice/save-water/”