Tonight could be the mildest December night on record

  • Weather
Rowers on the river Cam in Cambridge. Credit: PA

Following the theme of the winter so far, this week is looking unseasonably mild again.

Tonight or Wednesday has the possibility of being the mildest December night on record for some of us - which currently stands at 14C in England back in 1994.

We're not the only ones experiencing temperatures way above what you'd expect for mid-December.

Much of western and northern Europe has exceptionally mild air for mid-winter too. As deep low pressure systems (or storms) roll in from the Atlantic drawing in tropical air from west Africa.

Spain and Portugal are also remarkably mild for December - and this same air will extend into France and the UK through the next couple of days. Temperatures will be up to 10C above average with a chance of breaking records.

It's not only Europe. Unseasonably warm air is currently across much of north America, dragged up from the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures a good 10C above he norm in New York and the north-eastern seaboard.

Our very mild air also has the potential to contain Saharan Dust - and with the rain forecast with this air flow - dusty deposits could well be left on cars - rather than sleet and snow.