March 2015 and first quarter of year warmest on record

NOAA | APRIL 19, 2015

The globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for March 2015 was the highest for the month since record keeping began in 1880. The year-to-date (January–March) globally averaged temperature was also record high.

March 2015 Blended Land & Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in °C. Image credit: NOAA

During March, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.53°F (0.85°C) above the 20th century average. This was the highest for March in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record of 2010 by 0.09°F (0.05°C).

The globally-averaged land surface temperature was 2.97°F (1.65°C) above the 20th century average. This tied with 1990 as the second highest for March in the 1880–2015 record.

The globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 0.99°F (0.55°C) above the 20th century average. This was the third highest for March in the 1880–2015 record.

During January–March, the average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.48°F (0.82°C) above the 20th century average. This was the highest for January–March in the 1880–2015 record, surpassing the previous record of 2002 by 0.09°F (0.05°C).

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