Less than three weeks ago, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter during the 126th annual Groundhog Day festivities on February 2.

Recent days have seen temperatures more like early summer along the Eastern Seaboard. Warm southerly winds have sent record-breaking heat along the US's Atlantic coast into eastern Canada.

Tuesday afternoon saw the temperature in Philadelphia reach 22 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record of 21C, set back in 1939.

Similarly, in a week where temperatures have struggled to reach 15C in Los Angeles in the western US, New York has also been basking in the warm sunshine. JFK Airport recorded a high of 19C, breaking the previous record of 16C set in 1941.

It is hard to believe that the New York area had snow last Saturday and in fact, it might be even warmer on Wednesday with temperatures expected to approach 21C.

Thereafter, normal service will be resumed as cooler and wetter weather reaches across the Appalachians. By this, stage temperatures will struggle to reach eight or nine degrees Celsius.

Back on the West Coast, Los Angeles can expect to stay on the cold side. There are warnings for freezing in force for much of the California lowlands and snow to sea-level in northwestern parts of the state.