Last month was the second warmest March ever recorded in Europe, according to data published by the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The report also notes that global sea surface temperatures reached the second highest level on record for this month.
On a global scale, March ranks as the fourth warmest since records began, with an average temperature of 13,94 degrees Celsius – which is 1,48 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period average (1850–1900) and 0,53 degrees Celsius above the March average for the years 1991–2020.
According to the report, the trend of extreme temperatures is continuing. The warmest March on record remains that of 2024.
Europe experienced particularly strong warming, with an average temperature of 5,88 degrees Celsius, or 2,27 degrees Celsius above the 1991–2020 average.
While most of the continent was drier than usual, heavy rainfall caused flooding in some areas of the Mediterranean and Scandinavia.
The Arctic recorded its lowest sea ice extent ever in March, 5,7% below average.
The average global sea surface temperature reached 20,97 degrees Celsius, the second highest level recorded for this month.
Climate conditions varied significantly across regions. The western United States experienced a prolonged heat wave, while Alaska, Canada, and northwestern Siberia experienced unusually low temperatures.
The Director of the EU's Copernicus Service for Climate Change, Carlo Buontempo, stated that these data show a climate system under continuous and increasing pressure.
