March breaks heat records in Europe amid unrelenting global warmth

Global temperatures remained at historic highs in March, marking the second-hottest March globally and the hottest ever recorded in Europe, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

The month extended an unprecedented streak of extreme heat that began in July 2023, with each month since exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels — a key threshold in climate science.

In Europe, March was 0.26°C hotter than the previous record in 2014, triggering severe rainfall extremes across the continent. Some areas experienced their driest March in decades, while others saw record-breaking downpours.

Globally, the persistent heat has puzzled scientists, as temperatures have remained elevated despite the expected cooling effect of a transitioning La Niña. Experts say the current warmth is likely the highest in 125,000 years and warn that human-driven climate change is amplifying extreme weather events, pushing the world closer to breaching long-term climate targets.