Northern Europe warmer than average, but temperatures drop in southern Europe 

An abandoned vehicle on a motorway after a snowstorm in Athens last month. The European Commission-backed Copernicus Climate Change Service has noticed colder-than-average conditions occurred in France, northeastern Spain, Greece, and Turkey in January. Photo: AP/Michael Varaklas

Temperatures across Europe since the beginning of the year have flipped from usual patterns, official data shows - with the likes of Ireland and Scandinavia warmer than usual, while traditional holiday favourites like Turkey and Greece are colder.

The European Commission-backed Copernicus Climate Change Service, known as C3S, analysed data from across the continent, "using billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world".