March was the 10th consecutive month where Earth saw the highest temperatures ever, according to the European Union’s climate agency. Copernicus. The air and ocean temperatures have both reached their highest levels ever recorded for the month.
The average global temperature for the month was 14.14°C (57.9°F). This exceeded the previous record set in 2016 by a tenth of a degree, according to Copernicus.
The new data adds to climate concerns, in a year already defined by extreme weather events and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The world has been experiencing record-breaking heat every month since June.
According to Copernicus data, the Earth has now had 12 consecutive months with average monthly temperatures exceeding the Paris threshold by 1.58 degrees Celsius (2.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
In March, the global sea surface temperature averaged 21.07 degrees Celsius (69.93 degrees Fahrenheit), reaching the highest monthly value recorded and slightly surpassing February’s temperature.
Copernicus stated that the El Niño weather pattern, which warms the sea surface in the Pacific Ocean, continued to weaken in March.
Jennifer Francis, a scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, told the Associated Press that El Niño’s “combination with the non-natural marine heat waves made these records so breathtaking.”
