March 2025 was Europe's hottest on record, second warmest on the planet

The average temperature measured in Europe last month was 6.03°C, up 2.41°C above the 1991-2020 average, breaking an all-time record. "March 2025 was the warmest March ever for Europe, emphasising once again how temperatures continue to break records," said Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).

‘It was also a month of contrasts with opposite extremes of precipitation in Europe, with many areas experiencing the driest March on record and others the wettest March in at least 47 years,’ she added.

In Europe, the highest temperatures were in the east of the continent, while the Spain was colder than usual.

Globally, temperatures were warmer than normal in much of the Arctic, as well as in the United States, Mexico, parts of Asia and Australia, and colder than usual in northern Canada and eastern Russia.

On the other hand, the Arctic ice sheet in March showed the smallest Arctic ice extent recorded for the month since satellite imagery has been available for 47 years, making it the fourth consecutive month of record low ice cover.

In terms of precipitation, most of southern Europe experienced wetter than usual conditions and Spain in particular was hit by a series of storms and floods. In contrast, the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as Greece and Turkey, received less rainfall than normal.

Globally, precipitation was below normal in North America, southwest, central and east Asia, southwest Australia, parts of southern Africa and southeast South America. It rained more than normal in eastern Canada, the western United States, the Middle East, Russia and parts of Central Asia, as well as southeastern Africa and northeastern Australia.