Search

Search

Global Temperatures Continue to Break Records, Raising Alarms Over Climate Crisis

The planet continues to send urgent signals that the climate crisis is not a distant threat, but a present-day emergency. According to the latest data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), global temperatures once again surpassed the critical 1.5°C warming threshold set by the 2015 Paris Agreement—marking 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels during March.

This marks the 20th out of the last 21 months in which global temperatures have breached this key limit, underscoring a persistent upward trend that scientists warn could trigger increasingly severe climate impacts. Although temporary overshoots are not considered a failure under the Paris Agreement—which focuses on long-term averages—the frequency and consistency of these breaches are cause for concern.

Europe, in particular, experienced its warmest March on record, with average temperatures soaring 2.41°C (4.34°F) above the 1991–2020 monthly average. Globally, the average surface air temperature hit 14.06°C (57.31°F), making it the second-warmest March ever recorded.

Ocean temperatures are also registering alarming highs. Global daily sea surface temperatures remained elevated across most of the world's oceans, with the March average reaching 69.73°F—just shy of a record, but still the second-highest for the month. Unusually warm waters in the Atlantic Basin could amplify the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is expected to release its seasonal outlook in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, polar regions continue to suffer. Arctic sea ice extent fell to its lowest March level on record—6% below average—marking the fourth consecutive month of record lows. In the Southern Hemisphere, Antarctic sea ice extent was 24% below the March average, further highlighting the accelerating effects of climate change on global ice systems.

While the cascading impacts of global warming—intensified storms, destructive wildfires, rising seas, and record-breaking heat waves—are already reshaping lives and communities, scientists emphasize that it's not too late to change course. What is needed now is clarity, action, and the political will to follow through.

Efforts like the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit aim to cut through the noise, delivering essential updates and insights to help people understand what's at stake and how to stay safe in a rapidly warming world.