A team of Danish scientists has discovered an enormous area of Greenland has started melting earlier in the year than ever before.

Greenland's ice sheet typically melts when the spring arrives, thawing slightly as temperatures rise, before freezing again in the winter.

However, until now the earliest date when more than 10 per cent of the sheet had started melting was 5 May, during the spring of 2010. According to observations and weather models made by the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), almost 12 per cent of the ice sheet had started to thaw out by 11 April, a new record.

DMI climate scientist Peter Landgren said he was initially incredulous that such a large thaw could have started so early.

"We had to check that our models were still working properly," he said.

"Fortunately, we could see from the promice.dk stations on the ice sheet that it had been well above melting, even above 10°C. This helped to explain the results."

Much of the melting has occurred in the lower parts of Greenland, but Robert Fausto, from the Danish Geological Survey, said higher parts of the ice sheet which are further from the ocean and typically colder than other areas also saw "very high temperatures."

Paris climate talks in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Paris climate talks in pictures Paris climate talks in pictures A man is covered with a multi-coloured banner with the message, "Climate" as environmentalists attend a demonstration near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, during the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) that meets in Le Bourget, December 12, 2015 Reuters Paris climate talks in pictures French President Francois Hollande (C) and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (R) applaud after a statement at the COP21 Climate Conference in Le Bourget, north of Paris, on December 12, 2015. The years-long quest for a universal pact to avert catastrophic climate change neared the finish line today with conference host France announcing that the final draft had been completed in the early hours of the morning. Getty Paris climate talks in pictures US Secretary of State John Kerry (C) speaks with China's Special Representative on Climate Change Xie Zhenhua (R) and officials at the COP21 Climate Conference in Le Bourget, north of Paris, on December 12, 2015. The years-long quest for a universal pact to avert catastrophic climate change neared the finish line today with conference host France announcing that the final draft had been completed in the early hours of the morning. Getty Paris climate talks in pictures Delegates and members of NGO's read and work on copies of 'The adoption of the Paris agreement' is pictured after the announcement of the final draft by French Foreign Affairs minister Laurent Fabius at the COP21 Climate Conference in Le Bourget, north of Paris, on December 12, 2015. The years-long quest for a universal pact to avert catastrophic climate change neared the finish line with conference host France announcing that the final draft had been completed in the early hours of the morning Getty Paris climate talks in pictures UN climate chief Christiana Figueres (C) speaks with French President Francois Hollande (L), United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (2ndL) and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius (R) after a statement at the COP21 Climate Conference in Le Bourget, north of Paris, on December 12, 2015. The years-long quest for a universal pact to avert catastrophic climate change neared the finish line today with conference host France announcing that the final draft had been completed in the early hours of the morning Getty Paris climate talks in pictures A Swiss Dominican priest poses with activists dressed as polar bears as activists gather for a demonstration to form a giant red line at the Avenue de la Grande armee boulevard in Paris on December 12, 2015, as a proposed 195-nation accord to curb emissions of the heat-trapping gases that threaten to wreak havoc on Earth's climate system is to be presented at the United Nations conference on climate change COP21 in Le Bourget, on the outskirts of Paris. Getty Paris climate talks in pictures Activists hold up a giant banner reading 'Climate justice' by association 'ourpowercampaign' during a demonstration near the Arc de Triomphe at the Avenue de la Grande armee boulevard in Paris on December 12, 2015, as a proposed 195-nation accord to curb emissions of the heat-trapping gases that threaten to wreak havoc on Earth's climate system is to be presented at the United Nations conference on climate change COP21 in Le Bourget, on the outskirts of Paris. Getty Paris climate talks in pictures Representatives of indigenous peoples demonstrate in Paris, France, as the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) continues at Le Bourget, December 12, 2015. Reuters Paris climate talks in pictures Environmentalists demonstrate near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, as the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) continues at Le Bourget, December 12, 2015. Reuters Paris climate talks in pictures Environmentalists demonstrate near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, as the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) continues at Le Bourget, December 12, 2015. Reuters Paris climate talks in pictures Activists form a giant red line during a demonstration on the Avenue de la Grande armee boulevard in Paris on December 12, 2015, as a proposed 195-nation accord to curb emissions of the heat-trapping gases that threaten to wreak havoc on Earth's climate system is to be presented at the United Nations conference on climate change COP21 in Le Bourget, on the outskirts of Paris ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty Images Paris climate talks in pictures The slogan "No Plan B" is projected on the Eiffel Tower as part of the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) in Paris, France, December 11, 2015. Reuters

At one temperature-recording station higher above sea level than the peak of Ben Nevis, scientists saw a maximum temperature of 3.1°C.

This doesn't sound too hot, but Fausto said: "This would be a warm day in July, never mind April."

Quoted in a post on DMI's website, climate scientist Martin Stendel explained the unusually early melt is down to a combination of cold air and low pressures on either side of Greenland, which have caused a warm air "cap" to form over the island.

Forecasters expect the temperatures to cool again over the rest of the month, although the troubles won't end there. Water from the melted ice will run into the snow and re-freeze, heating up ice under the surface. This will mean that it won't need to get as hot in future for the melt to start again.

Numerous hot weather records have been broken in in recent times. February this year was the most unusually hot month since records began, with global temperatures reaching around 1.3°C hotter than average. This record was previously broken only the month before, signifying a surprising spike in temperatures in a very short period.

With Greenland's all-time temperature records coming close to being broken this month, the country's small population is growing concerned about the future.