March 2026 was the fourth warmest month ever recorded globally and the second warmest in Europe, according to a report released by the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The service, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), also noted that sea surface temperatures were near record levels for March, ranking as the second highest ever recorded (with the warmest March occurring in 2024). This trend may signal a transition toward El Niño, a phenomenon known to increase global temperatures.
According to the data, March temperatures were 1.48°C above pre-industrial levels.
In Europe, the continent experienced its second warmest March on record, with much of the region facing drier-than-average conditions. In Portugal, temperatures were above normal while rainfall remained below average, according to the Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA).
Read more: Macau seeks to expand private use of maritime areas
Copernicus highlighted that these high temperatures contrasted sharply with February, which was colder than average and exceptionally wet, with widespread flooding across parts of Europe, including Portugal. This made it the third coldest February in Europe over the past 14 years.
Globally, March was marked by intense heat and drought conditions in several regions, including an unprecedented early heatwave, as well as drier-than-average conditions in parts of the United States and Mexico.
As in February, Copernicus reported strong contrasts across the Northern Hemisphere between warmer and cooler-than-average temperature anomalies. In the Arctic, both the annual maximum sea ice extent and the monthly average for March were the lowest on record.
Quoted in the report, Copernicus director Carlo Buontempo said: “Copernicus data for March 2026 tell a worrying story: 1.48°C above pre-industrial levels, the lowest Arctic sea ice extent ever recorded for March, and sea surface temperatures approaching historic highs.”
Read more: Lusophone countries sign South Atlantic marine protection agreement
He added: “Each number is striking on its own—together, they paint a picture of a climate system under constant and growing pressure.”
Globally, the average air temperature in March reached 13.94°C, which is 0.53°C above the 1991–2020 average. Compared to the 1850–1900 baseline used to define pre-industrial levels, temperatures were 1.48°C higher.
In the Arctic, sea ice extent in March was 5.7% below average, nearly matching last year’s record low. Daily sea ice levels also reached the lowest winter maximum on record, tying with March 2025.
