Europe just recorded its hottest March since data collection began, according to the latest report from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The findings underscore a troubling trend of rising temperatures driven by human-induced climate change.
On a global scale, March 2025 ranked as the second-hottest March ever recorded—only behind March 2024. This continues a concerning pattern: in 20 of the past 21 months, global average temperatures have exceeded pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5°C. March alone registered a global average temperature 1.6°C above those historic benchmarks.
Scientists overwhelmingly agree that the main factor behind the climate crisis is the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels.
In Europe, the unusual heat was accompanied by extreme weather events. “Europe also experienced extreme weather conditions, including both heavy rainfall and drought,” said Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which oversees C3S.
“Last month in Europe, many regions recorded their driest March ever, while others experienced the wettest in the last 47 years,” Burgess added.
Such climate extremes are increasingly common. As warming continues, some regions are facing more intense droughts due to heightened evaporation, while others are seeing a rise in heavy rainfalls that raise flood risks.
The Arctic also reflected these alarming trends. C3S reported that Arctic sea ice reached its lowest extent for March in the 47 years since satellite tracking began. The previous three months also set record lows for sea ice in their respective periods.
C3S has maintained temperature records since 1940, cross-referenced with global datasets that stretch back to 1850.
