NOAA data show March was the most abnormally hot month on record for the continental U.S., with a Lower 48 average of 50.85°F (10.47°C), 9.35°F above the 20th-century March normal. That anomaly is the largest for any month in the 132-year record, surpassing March 2012. More than 19,800 daily high-temperature records fell nationwide, and forecasters warn a strengthening El Niño could keep temperatures elevated into the coming year.
March Shatters Heat Records: Continental U.S. Registers Most Abnormally Hot Month in 132 Years, NOAA Says
FILE - A baseball fan tries to shield from the sun during the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Athletics, March 17, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Federal climate data show that persistent, out-of-season warmth in March pushed the continental United States to its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Some forecasts also indicate that a developing El Niño could strengthen in the year ahead, likely keeping temperatures elevated.
Record-Breaking Numbers: March’s average temperature for the Lower 48 states was 50.85°F (10.47°C), which is 9.35°F (5.19°C) above the 20th-century March normal. That margin of departure from normal is the largest on record for any month, surpassing the previous high anomaly of 8.9°F (4.9°C) set in March 2012.
FILE - A jogger runs past as a man sunbathes on a hot day at Crissy Field in San Francisco, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The average maximum (daytime) temperature for March was especially elevated — 11.4°F (6.3°C) above the 20th-century average — and NOAA noted it was nearly a full degree warmer than a typical daytime high for April.
Six of the top 10 most abnormally hot months in U.S. records have occurred within the last decade. February also ranked highly: it was 6.57°F (3.65°C) above the 20th-century normal and placed tenth on the list of months with the largest positive departures from normal.
FILE - Juan Olmedo, left, and his wife Alejandra Delgado use an umbrella to shield from the sun while on a walk at Shoreline Park in Mountain View, Calif., March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
“What we experienced in March across the United States was unprecedented,” said Climate Central meteorologist Shel Winkley. “One reason that’s so concerning is the sheer volume of all-time records set and broken during that period. It’s coming after what was the worst snow year and the hottest winter on record, so this extraordinary winter heat continuing into spring is particularly worrying because of its duration.”
NOAA analyst Guy Walton reported that more than 19,800 daily high-temperature records were broken nationwide in March.
Why It Matters
Prolonged and widespread anomalies of this magnitude have implications for ecosystems, snowpack and water supplies, agriculture, energy demand and public health. If El Niño strengthens as some forecasts suggest, the next year could see sustained above-average warmth globally and across the United States.
About the Data: NOAA compiled these figures from its long-term observational records for the Lower 48 states. The Associated Press, which reported on these findings, notes it receives financial support from private foundations for its climate and environmental coverage but retains editorial control over content.
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