Calculations by the national Environment Agency (ARSO) show that Slovenia saw a similarly warm March in 2014, 2012 and 1994. In all these years the average March temperature in Ljubljana topped 10C, which is more common in April.

"In the last 30 years the average April temperature has been about 10.9 degrees Celsius, and this March will see only a slightly lower average temperature than that. We could say we are a month ahead," ARSO meteorologist Brane Gregorčič told the STA on Thursday.

There has not been much rainfall in March, yet it has not been not an extremely dry month; the share of rainfall was slightly higher in the west and very low in the east.

Despite high temperatures in March, it might get colder yet with an occasional incursion of polar air in April and at the beginning of May, said Gregorčič.

While the country was hit by a severe frost and snow last April, the temperatures before 20 April in 2016 were above average, he added.

However, there is no sign of a cold spell in the current 14-day forecast. "We hope that the changes will not be as severe as last year, when they caused quite a lot of damage."

The sunny weather will continue throughout this weekend. Saturday will see afternoon temperatures of about 20 degrees Celsius. Both Saturday and Sunday will be mostly sunny, with some south-westerly wind.