NOAA has confirmed that March 2026 was the warmest March ever recorded for the contiguous United States, with the average temperature coming in 5.8 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th-century average. The record breaks the previous mark set in 2012.
Every state east of the Rockies experienced above-average temperatures, with several states in the Ohio Valley and Southeast shattering their individual records by more than 3 degrees. Cherry blossoms in Washington DC peaked two weeks earlier than the historical average.
Climate scientists note this continues a trend of accelerating warming, with 8 of the last 10 years producing at least one record-warm month somewhere in the country.
