Global sea surface temperatures in March climbed to the second-highest level ever recorded, nearing the peak levels seen during the last El Nino event, as per the European Union’s climate monitor. The average sea surface temperature across the extra-polar oceans hit 20.97 degrees Celsius, marking the second-highest level for March, with only March 2024 surpassing it during the previous El Nino occurrence, according to the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S).
Throughout March, daily sea surface temperatures showed a steady rise, approaching the record levels observed in 2024, the report highlighted. Copernicus mentioned that several climate centers are predicting a shift from neutral conditions to El Nino in the latter part of 2026. El Nino, characterized by warmer surface waters in the equatorial Pacific, has the potential to elevate global temperatures and enhance extreme weather conditions in certain areas.
March 2026 also ranked as the fourth-warmest March globally on record, with the average surface air temperature worldwide standing at 1.48 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level (1850-1900), according to C3S. Europe experienced its second-warmest March on record during the month, with many parts of the continent facing drier-than-average conditions following a colder and exceptionally wet February.
The month of March witnessed severe heatwaves and dry spells in various regions worldwide, including an unusually early heatwave and below-average precipitation in parts of the United States and Mexico. In the Arctic, both the annual maximum sea ice extent and the March average hit their lowest recorded levels. Carlo Buontempo, director of C3S at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, remarked that the data for March 2026 from Copernicus paints a concerning picture of a climate system facing sustained and accelerating pressures.
