Today is expected to be the hottest day of the year so far – but sadly, the sunshine and blue skies are not set to last.
Sweltering highs of up to 32C are predicted for the city and county, but heavy rain and thunderstorms are on the cards for tomorrow.
The Met Office has put Leicestershire on a 'yellow' alert, saying there is a 60 per cent chance of a heatwave – consistently high temperatures over two or more days – and warned people to take care in the humid conditions.
Leicester Mercury weatherman Dave Mutton said: "It's going to be the hottest day of the year so far, but comes at a price.
"We'll have some sun on Friday, but the high temperatures will lead to the build-up of thunderstorms on Saturday.
"We'll get some hail and a lot of rain and lightning.
"So, you'll be warm, but you'll be wet - and there's a chance you'll be struck by lightning."
By Monday, temperatures will have cooled to about 23C or 24C, said Dave.
The changing weather is throwing up some good opportunities for photographers, as the image above shows.
Photographer Mark Warner, from Ashby, was on his way home at about 8pm on Wednesday when he saw a rainbow over Ashby Castle.
"I pulled over and grabbed my camera – it looked impressive," he said.
"The fact that the rainbow was set against a background of grey sky really means the whole thing stood out, and you could see all of it.
"I was only out there for about 10 minutes, but that's all I needed."
In response to the hot weather, staff at Rutland Water have been busy creating a beach and 2,800sq metre swimming area at the reservoir's North Shore, to make the most of the sunny summer days.
More than 400 tonnes of sand has been brought in to cover the 140-metre stretch.
Kevin Appleton, visitor operations manager for Anglian Water, which owns the site, said: "This side of the reservoir has always been very popular with people enjoying barbecues on the grass, and we hope many of them will pay a visit to the new beach, too.
"Visitors can paddle and swim in the designated area with peace of mind as we now have lifeguards on duty seven days a week."
However, the extreme weather has prompted a number of organisations to offer safety advice.
Health officials are warning the city's Muslim community, as they are currently fasting for Ramadan, which means no fluids while the sun is out.
Zuffar Haq, of the Leicester Mercury Patients' Panel, who is taking part in the religious fast, said: "People who are fasting also need to make sure that they're drinking plenty of water and hydrating themselves in the morning and at night.
"It's all about being sensible , about taking plenty of water, and also aiming to avoid things like fizzy, sugary drinks. It's certainly an area of concern, but people are sensible enough and we have been through heatwaves before."
Elderly people are also being urged to stay out of the sun and make sure they drink enough water.
Age UK chief executive Tony Donovan said: "It's common sense stuff really, things like keeping out of the sun during the hottest part of the day and drinking enough fluids.
"Elderly people don't tend to keep themselves hydrated enough during hot periods, so water is very important."
The temperatures are also expected to bring dangers for family pets .
The RSPCA said leaving dogs in cars can quickly be fatal, with temperatures up to 47C (117F) inside unventilated vehicles.
RSPCA chief vet James Yeates said: "A hot car can be a dog's death trap ."
• See the latest four-day weather forecast for Leicester and Leicestershire.