The United States experienced the warmest March on record this year, according to new data released by the National Centers for Environmental Information.The average national temperature across the lower 48 states was 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit – or more than 9 degrees warmer than the typical average for March.The trend was also true for 10 states, mostly in the western half of the United States. The data released last Wednesday covers a 132-year period of record from 1895 to 2026. Alaska and Hawaii aren't included in the average because of different periods of record.The record passes 2012, which previously had the warmest March on record. Behind 2012 is 1910. However, the average temperature has been on the rise over the past few decades.The Get the Facts Data Team analyzed whether March was the warmest on record across the lower 48 states as well as counties. All 48 states included recorded above-average temperatures. The NCEI releases data on temperature and precipitation monthly. March was also the eighth driest on record, with the period from January to March being the driest three-month period on record, according to the NCEI.Monthly reports also showed the global annual temperature outlook as of March 2026. There is more than a 99.9% chance of 2026 being a top 10 warmest year globally, and a 2.9% chance of it being the warmest year, according to the NCEI. The outlook is calculated based on anomalies and historical temperature readings.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
WASHINGTON — The United States experienced the warmest March on record this year, according to new data released by the National Centers for Environmental Information.
The average national temperature across the lower 48 states was 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit – or more than 9 degrees warmer than the typical average for March.
The trend was also true for 10 states, mostly in the western half of the United States.
The data released last Wednesday covers a 132-year period of record from 1895 to 2026. Alaska and Hawaii aren't included in the average because of different periods of record.
The record passes 2012, which previously had the warmest March on record. Behind 2012 is 1910.
However, the average temperature has been on the rise over the past few decades.
The Get the Facts Data Team analyzed whether March was the warmest on record across the lower 48 states as well as counties. All 48 states included recorded above-average temperatures.
The NCEI releases data on temperature and precipitation monthly. March was also the eighth driest on record, with the period from January to March being the driest three-month period on record, according to the NCEI.
Monthly reports also showed the global annual temperature outlook as of March 2026.
There is more than a 99.9% chance of 2026 being a top 10 warmest year globally, and a 2.9% chance of it being the warmest year, according to the NCEI. The outlook is calculated based on anomalies and historical temperature readings.
