Last month was hottest March on record for continental U.S. - by most for any month ever, federal data shows
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- March 2024 was the hottest month on record for the continental U.S., with temperatures averaging 9.35°F above the 20th century norm, surpassing the previous record set in March 2012.
- Over 19,800 daily heat records and more than 2,000 monthly heat records were broken across the U.S. in March, highlighting the unprecedented scale of warming linked to human-caused climate change.
- The January-March period was also the driest on record for the contiguous U.S., exacerbating concerns about water availability, agriculture, and river navigation.
- Forecasters predict a super-strong El Niño developing in late 2024, potentially surpassing previous records from 2015-2016, which could drive global temperatures to new highs in late 2026 and 2027.
- While El Niños typically reduce Atlantic hurricane activity and increase Pacific storms, their intensity may be amplified by global warming, though scientific consensus on this connection is still emerging.
