Many people are enjoying the surprisingly warm February weather, with spells of sunshine that mean it’s been warm enough to walk without a coat, and maybe start considering buying suncream again.

In fact, the warmest day in February, since 1998, was recorded recently. A thermometer in Trawsgoed, West Wales, reached 20.3C, beating the previous record of 19.7C, which was recorded in Greenwich in 1998.

Announcing the new record, the Met Office tweeted: “It’s reached 20.3 °C at Trawsgoed, Ceredigion, making it the UK’s warmest February day on record. It’s also the first time we’ve recorded over 20 degrees in winter.”

According to the Met Office, the record-breaking conditions are a result of warm air combining with a period of sunshine across the UK, resulting in higher temperatures.

Winds from the south and southeast of the country, including from Spain and Africa, are pushing air over a part of Wales that has the greatest “land track”, causing it to get gradually warmer.

Walkers have been enjoying the spring like sunshine as they stroll past the daffodils and snowdrops around the River Wye, and sunglasses have once again become important to remember.

The further the air travels over land, the more moisture it loses and faster it heats up, the Met Office have explained.

Met Office meteorologists have said that it is exceptional for the weather to be this warm at this time of year.

Average temperatures for the month of February in the UK are around 8C, which the Met Office has previously confirmed.

This time last year, the county was being blasted by the Beast from the East, which brought snow and freezing conditions across Ross-on-Wye, delaying plans for days. This stark contrast a year on demonstrates how unpredicatble the weather in the UK can be.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.