Overview
- Copernicus, which on Friday released its ERA5-based March analysis, reported Europe had its second-warmest March on record.
- The global average surface air temperature reached 13.94°C, which is 1.48°C above the estimated pre‑industrial March level and 0.53°C above the 1991–2020 norm.
- Sea-surface temperatures averaged 20.97°C in March, the second-highest value for the month on record after the 2024 peak during El Niño.
- Arctic sea-ice extent fell to the lowest March level ever measured, sitting 5.7% below the long-term average.
- Experts say the unusually warm oceans point to a likely shift toward El Niño this year, which can lift temperatures further and fuel stronger storms, heavier rain, coral bleaching, and rising seas.