The Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that this winter in Europe has been the warmest on record - by a country mile; a massive 3.4 °C warmer than the average winter for the period 1981-2010. The temperature was almost 1.4°C higher than that of the previous warmest winter, 2015/16.

At the same time, a temperature in excess of 20℃ has been recorded in the Antarctic for the first time ever.

John Craythorne