March 2026, warm and dry

Globally

March 2026 was 0.53°C warmer than the 1991–2020 average globally, with a surface air temperature of 13.94°C, making it the 4th warmest March on record. It recorded a temperature of +1.48°C above the estimated 1850–1900 average (pre-industrial level).

Europe

The average air temperature in Europe in March 2026 was the second highest on record, at 5.88°C, i.e. +2.27°C above the 1991–2020 average.

In March 2026, almost all of Europe recorded above-average temperatures. The most anomalous values occurred in north-western Russia, northern Fennoscandia and the Baltic States, where mean temperatures were well above average, in stark contrast to the much colder-than-normal conditions observed in those areas the previous month (February).

Regarding precipitation, much of continental Europe recorded below-normal rainfall. Iceland, the north of the United Kingdom, and much of Scandinavia experienced above-average precipitation.

Severe weather events, partly associated with the passage of storms — such as the subtropical storm Samuel (Jolina) and Storms Deborah and Erminio — caused flooding and damage in several Mediterranean regions, including southern France, Spain, southern Italy, the Balkans, Greece and parts of North Africa. The Canary Islands were also affected by Storm Regina at the beginning of March.

Figure 1. Geopotential height anomalies at 500 hPa, mean wind (850 hPa) and mean air temperature (850 hPa), March 2026. Source: IPMA/C3S/ECMWF/ERA5.

Mainland Portugal

March 2026 was classified as warm in terms of air temperature and dry in terms of precipitation.

Air Temperature

• It was the 5th warmest March since 2000, with a mean air temperature of 12.99°C, +0.62°C above the 1991–2020 normal.
• The mean maximum temperature, 18.42°C, was +0.85°C above average; the mean minimum temperature, 7.57°C, was +0.39°C above the normal value.
  

Precipitation

• It was the 8th driest March since 2000, with the monthly total (42.1 mm) representing 54% of the normal value.
• In the northern region, inland Central Portugal and inland Upper Alentejo, rainfall was less than half of what is normal for March.

Soil water content

• A significant decrease in soil water content occurred as a consequence of a warm and dry March.
• Values below 60% were recorded across much of the territory, falling below 40% in some municipalities in the districts of Leiria, Santarém and Beja.
  

Have acess to the climate bulletin for March 2026 (portuguese version only): Climate bulletin for March 2026

Figure 2. A sunny day in March 2026, near Évora. Credit: Carlos Pereira