NOAA: March 2026 Was Most Abnormally Hot Month on Record for Lower 48 as Forecasters Warn of Potential 'Super' El Niño
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Federal data show March 2026 was the most abnormally hot month on record for the Lower 48, with an average temperature of 50.85°F—9.35°F above the 20th-century March normal—and average daytime highs 11.4°F above normal (nearly 1°F warmer than a typical April); April 2025-March 2026 was the warmest 12-month period on record and January-March 2026 was the driest on record for the contiguous U.S. Climate Central said late-March heat over about one-third of the country would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused warming, and NOAA and Europe's Copernicus service warn a likely "super" El Niño is expected to form in coming months and could push global temperatures beyond 2024's record.