Kew Gardens is showing 20.9c at 15:00

Warmer than yesterday that's for sure. Although I started lower at -3C. The dip was a blip and it recently touched 18.5C. Currently at 18.3C.

Looks like it,  wouldnt be surprised if somewhere got to 70f.

And on cue, 21.2C at Kew Gardens. 70.2F in old money.

Kew Gardens has reached 21.2 °C which is the UK's new maximum temperature record for February, winter and the year so far 🌡️☀️ pic.twitter.com/liP2MudHAa

— Met Office (@metoffice) 26 February 2019

The great Gordon Manley, in his book "Climate and the British Scene", wrote: "If such things can happen 70F will occasionally be reached in February in southern England; perhaps once in 200 years." Of course he was writing sixty or so years ago, and the warming of our climate since then must have made it a much more likely happening."

21.2C is an amazing temperature recorded so early in the year but its back down to earth with a bang by this weekend. That could be the highest maximum recorded this year until well into April maybe even May. 

Back down to Earth indeed. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if we're paying the price for this in April. Februarys 1990 and of course 1998 had record mild spells and we paid for it in April. April 1990 had a severe frost early on and 1998 had a cold and wintry Easter with flooding in some places.

Even the mild and fine spell in February 2008 was followed by that wintry outbreak in early April. There was a white Easter in our region.

Hard to believe this was only a little over three weeks ago!

It's been a superb month, after a very dreary first two-thirds of winter.

Just incredible for February.  Be interesting to see how long this record lasts.

Meanwhile Los Angeles hasn't recorded a 70F this month and if it doesn't, it will be the first time since records began

https://twitter.com/NWSLosAngeles/status/1100382369662595073

They have had a cold February

Hopefully we'll pay for it in June, July or August. It'd wonderful to see a high of 11C down here in July or August, for example, which is the summer equivalent of today's heat. I'm not going to get my hopes up though!

And to think that on this date last year, we had an ice-day with heavy snow showers and drifts blocking roads (imby at least)

This warmth doesn't feel natural to me. And of course it isn't - it's down to man made activity pumping CO2 into the atmosphere in record qunatities globally.

Indeed it has been very cold (relatively) here this winter.  Additionally it has been a wetter than normal season, which is a double edged sword as this bodes badly for this year's fire season. More rain, equals more brush, equals more dry tinder and fuel later in the year when it has dried out.

Still, the skiing season should last til 4th July in Mammoth due to the incredible amounts of snow they've had.

I saw reports of snow in the higher parts of LA earlier this month.

Well reported Rob. Here, my 17.4, although eclipsed by Kew, is far and away the highest Feb temperature I've ever recorded. Last four days- 15.1   15.7   16.3   17.4   Happy with that in April.

No forecast has expected these in this locality.

Can tomorrow give us one more?

As far as I can see the latest 20C last year was 21.4C on 16 October.

Absolutly stunning,this is truly a historic spell of weather. Ive a feeling we are going to get frequent spells like this pretty much all year and unlike some pessimists on here ive a strong feeling there could be more of this before easter and this could be the year of Englands first 11c cet.

With seeing 21.2C today and 20.6C yesterday so that double 20's for Feb.  Surely with some record smashed but we never made it to 40C yet which we had a great chance last year, extreme parched ground and all the ingredients was there but too difficult to get it and most of the heat last year was home grown after day of day of relentless hot and sunny weather.  To get a 40C here we need to see at night temperatures in the low to mid 20's to aid the rise to 40C easily and no sea breezes.  

Death Valley wasn't too much effected but only went down to 1C and failed to reach 0C ths month but did early Jan at -0.5C and day time max 10C only.