March Land Temperatures Hit Record High

This March was the world's warmest ever on record over land surfaces—and the second warmest overall, AP reports. Land temperatures worldwide averaged 40.8 degrees Fahrenheit, 3.2 degrees above the 20th-century average. Over land and sea, only 2002 saw higher temperatures in 129 years of record-keeping, adding to mounting concerns about climate change.

In the US, however, it was weather as usual, averaging 42 degrees—just .4 degrees below the 20th-century average. While the snow pack shrunk in some western areas, it was still the highest in more than a decade. Nine states saw above-average rainfall, including Missouri, with its second-wettest recorded March. Drought conditions continue in the southeast. (More global temperatures stories.)