Denmark woke up to its warmest ever January temperatures on New Year’s Day

Southern neighbours also recorded their warmest ever start to the year

Denmark experienced its warmest ever January temperatures on New Year’s Day – or at least since records began in 1874. 

And even more bizarrely, the new record of 12.6 degrees, measured at Abed on Lolland, was recorded at 04:50 in the middle of the night!

The previous record mark of 12.4 was set in Sønderborg in 2004.

Records all over central Europe
In Copenhagen, thermometers soared to 11.6 – again during the night – as warm air poured into Denmark from the southwest.

Unsurprisingly, record warmth was experienced in other countries, with some experiencing temperatures 15 degrees above normal.

The Netherlands (15.5), Belgium (17.5), Luxembourg (17.8), Poland (18.7), Germany (20.8) and France (24.8) all saw new record highs.