US Records Hottest March in 132 Years of Data, NOAA Reports

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that March 2025 was the hottest March on record for the continental United States, based on data dating back 132 years. 19 degrees Celsius) above the 20th century average. 9 degrees Celsius) set in March 2012, making it the most abnormally hot month regardless of season in the Lower 48 states.

3 degrees Celsius) above the 20th century average, nearly matching the typical April daytime high. NOAA data showed that six of the top 10 most abnormally hot months in US history occurred in the last 10 years. 65 degrees Celsius) above average.

than 19,800 daily high temperature records were broken across the country in March, according to meteorologist Guy Walton's analysis of NOAA data.

Over 2,000 locations set monthly heat records, surpassing totals from entire past decades. On March 20 and 21, about one-third of the nation experienced heat that Climate Central calculated as virtually impossible without human-caused climate change. The period from April 2025 to March 2026 was the warmest 12-month span on record for the continental United States, per NOAA.

January through March 2025 was the driest on record for the contiguous US, combining heat with low precipitation levels.

the European climate service Copernicus forecast a strong El Niño to form in the coming months and intensify into winter 2026.

5 degrees Celsius. Both agencies predict this event will exceed 2 degrees Celsius, potentially rivaling the 2015-2016 records. El Niño releases stored ocean heat into the atmosphere, leading to higher global temperatures with a lag of several months, according to Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini.

Such events can alter weather patterns worldwide for years. The January through March 2025 dryness, combined with heat, affected water availability, agriculture, river levels, and navigation in the US. Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central, described the March heat as unprecedented, noting the volume of records broken.

This followed the hottest winter and worst snow year on record.