Monday will go down in the record books as the warmest day in February ever measured after the temperature hit 18.3 degrees at the De Bilt weather station near Hilversum.

Monday’s temperature is also the highest ever recorded during the meteorological winter, weather bureau Weerplaza said. The previous record – 17.3 degrees – dates from February 28, 1959.

The warmest place in the country was Gilze-Rijen in the south, near Breda, where the temperature hit 19.1 degrees.

Such temperatures are extremely rare in the winter months but not so surprising given that the Netherlands is warming up, a Weerplaza spokesman said.

The temperatures will be similar on Tuesday and Wednesday, Weerplaza said. More cloud and rain have been forecast for Thursday when the temperature will also drop by a good five degrees.