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The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. in March was 50.85°F, 9.35°F above the 20th-century average, marking the first time any month’s average has exceeded 9°F above that baseline.
February 2026 was Earth’s fifth-warmest February since records began in 1850, with a surface temperature 2.12°F (1.18°C) above the 20th-century average.
The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. in February was 40.4°F, 6.6°F above the 20th-century average, ranking second warmest in the 132-year record.