The United States experienced its hottest March in 132 years of recordkeeping, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with temperatures reaching levels far above historical norms across the Lower 48 states.

NOAA reported the nationwide average temperature for March was 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 9.35 degrees above the 20th-century average. That figure surpassed the previous record set in March 2012 and marked the most abnormally warm month ever recorded in the continental United States, regardless of season. Daytime highs were particularly elevated, averaging 11.4 degrees above normal and approaching typical April levels.

Meteorologists say the scale of the heat was significant, with more than 19,800 daily temperature records broken and over 2,000 locations setting monthly heat records. The January-through-March period was also the driest on record, creating concerns about water supply, agriculture, and river conditions. NOAA data further showed that the 12-month stretch from April 2025 through March 2026 was the warmest such period ever recorded in the contiguous United States.

Experts point to both natural weather patterns and longer-term climate trends as contributing factors. Forecasts from NOAA and Europe’s Copernicus climate service indicate a potentially strong El Niño developing later this year, which could push global temperatures even higher into 2026 and 2027. El Niño is a recurring climate pattern driven by warming ocean temperatures in the Pacific that can influence weather worldwide.

While El Niño events can temporarily raise global temperatures, they also tend to shift weather patterns, sometimes easing drought in parts of the United States while reducing Atlantic hurricane activity. Researchers continue to study how these natural cycles interact with broader climate trends as extreme weather events become more frequent.