Moscow sweltered in unseasonable heat on Sunday, with temperatures of nearly 29 degrees Celsius (84.2 Fahrenheit), a record for April since data collection began 130 years ago, authorities said.

"At 4:00 p.m. (1200 GMT), the temperature reached 28.6 degrees Celsius, an absolute record for the month of April," an official from the Russian capital's weather service told the Interfax news agency.

"The previous record for the month goes back to April 24, 1950, with 28 degrees," he added.

The mercury had already climbed to 26.3 degrees on Saturday.

Several central and eastern European countries recorded unseasonably high temperatures on Saturday, with a record 32 degrees recorded in northern Austria.

Central, eastern Europe swelter in record heat
Vienna (AFP) April 28, 2012 - Summer came early to central and eastern Europe as unseasonally high temperatures were recorded Saturday in several parts of Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Temperatures "are exceptionally mild for April", Austria's ZAMG meteorological centre said, reporting a record 32 Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) in the northern region of Lower Austria.

The centre said the main reason for the summer weather gracing the region was a strong southern wind from Africa's Sahara desert.

Temperatures hovering around 28 Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) in Vienna drew large crowds to the banks of the Danube while Germany's Bild carried frontpage pictures of Berlin residents sunbathing in 30 degrees.

Prague experienced its hottest April 28 in 212 years, with mercury hitting 27.7 Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) while unusually high temperatures were also recorded in Poland and Slovakia.