March 2026 marked the twelfth consecutive month in which global average temperatures set a new record for their respective months, according to data released Tuesday by the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. The March average of 14.82 degrees Celsius exceeded the previous March record set in 2024 by 0.11 degrees.
The persistent warmth is being driven by a combination of long-term greenhouse gas-driven warming and residual effects from the 2024-2025 El Nino event. While El Nino conditions have since dissipated, scientists say the oceans absorbed enormous amounts of heat during the event and continue to release it slowly into the atmosphere.
Copernicus deputy director Samantha Burgess called the 12-month streak 'a stark reminder that the climate system is moving into uncharted territory.' The data also revealed that the 12-month rolling average global temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time in recorded history.
