Several people have noted that temperature levels over the
last few days have been a good deal higher than had been
predicted before the cold snap began.

This is highlighted by the fac that the lowest Central England
maximum temperature this month was 4.2ºC last Tuesday
(1971-2000 mean is 6.2ºC).

In December there were six colder days.

Last January there were nine colder days.

During the winter of 1962-63 there was not a single day
as warm as this from December 22 to February 27 inc.

Philip Eden