continue for the next few days.

Temperatures plummeted to 53 degrees fahrenheit at 7 a.m. yesterday morning -- a new record low for that date despite record highs just days earlier.

Meteorologist Ken Smith, of the Bermuda Weather Service, said: "On the 19th and 20th it hit 76 degrees -- record highs for those days.

"Then it dropped because of a cold front. We are now on the north side of that. There is not a warm trend for the foreseeable future. The cold snap should continue for several days.'' He said the sharp fall in temperature had caused winds to increase to the point that the Island was on the verge of a gale warning.

"There was a smallcraft warning for each day for the rest of the week. The winds are not quite strong enough for a gale warning but we are keeping a close eye on it.'' Despite the chilly festive season, Christmas Day -- at 55 degrees -- was not the coldest on record.

That dubious honour goes to December 25, 1983, when the temperature fell to 54 degrees.