Britain breaks winter heat records with 20-degree February day

London: Britain basked in its warmest winter day on record on Monday, with temperatures breaching the 20-degree mark in parts of the country.

The Met office said the mercury soared 10 degrees higher than the average to above 20 degrees at three sites on Monday: Trawsgoed and Gogerddan in Wales, and Northolt in London's north.

This broke the previously highest-ever February temperature of 19.7 degrees in London on Feburary 13, 1998.

Londoners flocked to the city's green spaces and parks during their lunch breaks to bask in the sunlight, making a stark contrast with conditions just 12 months ago, when the so-called Beast from the East dumped heavy snow across the city and Britain, bringing many essential utility and transport services to a halt.

Warm weather is forecast until Thursday which the Met said was the result of a high-pressure system over the continent combining with southerly winds.

It was anticipated the conditions could lead to the new February record.

Earlier this month, the Met office said the five-year forecast global average surface temperature was forecast to be near or above one degree celsius above pre industrial levels.

This would make the decade between 2014 and 2023 the hottest since records began.

Last year, Europe experienced its warmest summer on record which was accompanied by droughts, heatwaves and wildfires.