March smashed heat records in several ways, federal data shows

Science Last month was hottest March on record for continental U.S. — by most for any month ever, federal data shows April 9, 2026 / 8:04 AM EDT / AP Add CBS News on Google Washington — March's persistent unseasonable heat was so intense that the continental United States registered its most abnormally hot month in 132 years of records, according to federal weather data. And the next year or so looks to turn the dial up on global warmth even more, as some forecasts predict a brewing El Niño will reach superstrength.Not only was it the hottest March on record for the U.S., but the amount it was above normal by beat any other month in history for the Lower 48 states. March's average temperature of 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit was 9.35 degrees above the 20th century normal for March. That easily passed the old record of 8.9 degrees set in March 2012 as the most abnormally hot month on record - regardless of the month of the year - according to records released Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The average maximum temperature for March was especially high at 11.4 degrees above the 20th century average and was almost a degree warmer than the average daytime high for April, NOAA said.Scientists' concern growing  Six of the nation's top 10 most abnormally hot months have been in the last 10 years. This February, which was 6.57 degrees above the 20th century norm, was the tenth highest above normal. "What we experienced in March across the United States was unprecedented," said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central, a nonprofit science research group. "One reason that's so concerning is just the sheer volume of records, all-time records that were set and broken during that time period," Winkley said. "But also this is coming on the heels of what was the worst snow year. And the hottest winter on record." April 2025 to March 2026 was the warmest 12-month period on record in the continental United States, accord...