Sunday is officially the warmest December 31 since records began in 1901, website Weeronline said.

The temperature tipped 12.5 degrees at the De Bilt weather station near Hilversum, breaking the previous record of 12.3 degrees.

It was even warmer in the south – hitting 13.4 degrees in Limburg in the morning – and expected to rise to around 15 degrees later in the day.

It will also be windy, particularly in the north west, into the evening while rain will move into the south west. Monday will be similar but with a 30% chance of sunshine, the KNMI weather bureau said.

2017 will go down in the record books as a warm, wet year, the KNMI said. With an average temperature of 10.9 degrees, 2017 joins 2016, 2015 and 2014 in the top 10 warmest years since 1901.