Weather
March 2026 on Track to Be Warmest on Record for Half the Continental U.S.
A historic and unprecedented heat wave has made March 2026 the warmest March on record for at least a third — and possibly more than half — of the continental United States, with record-shattering temperatures from Southern California to central Wyoming.
The heat wave's peak intensity arrived during a 10-day window beginning March 17, when communities across the western two-thirds of the country smashed all-time March monthly heat records. Indio, California recorded 108°F on March 19 and 21 — readings more typical of July than early spring.
In Wyoming, the heat was exceptional by local standards. Casper temperatures climbed into the low 80s, threatening the city's all-time March record. Missoula, Montana hit 75°F on the first day of spring, just 3 degrees short of the all-time warmest March day set in 2004.
The anomalous warmth has been driven by a persistent upper-level ridge of high pressure parked over the western United States, blocking the typical progression of Pacific storm systems that would bring cooler, wetter conditions.
"We're running 7 to 11 degrees above average across much of the region," said National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center meteorologist Dr. Amy Richardson. "This isn't just warm — it's historically unprecedented for March."
The heat has had cascading effects across Wyoming. Vegetation has dried out weeks ahead of schedule, contributing to elevated fire danger and the Sandpiper Fire near Casper. Snowpack in the Wind River and Bighorn ranges is below normal for this time of year, raising concerns about summer water supplies.
Ranchers have reported early green-up in pastures but warn that without follow-up moisture, the premature growth could leave rangeland in worse condition by summer.
A cooldown is forecast for early April as the blocking ridge breaks down, with temperatures expected to return closer to seasonal norms. However, climate scientists note that March 2026 fits a broader pattern of increasingly extreme warm spells driven by a changing climate.
"Events like this don't happen in isolation," said University of Wyoming atmospheric science professor Dr. Robert Henshaw. "They're part of a trend we've been tracking for decades."
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