Record March Heat Would Have Been 'Virtually Impossible' Without Climate Change, Scientists Find

Key Points

• March 30, 2026 was the hottest day ever recorded for the month globally
• World Weather Attribution says the heat would have been 'virtually impossible' without climate change
• U.S. extreme weather areas have doubled over the past 20 years according to NOAA
• 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires were the costliest weather disaster in U.S. last year

Full Details

Scientists at World Weather Attribution have concluded that the record-breaking heat on March 30, the hottest day ever recorded for the month, would have been 'virtually impossible' without human-caused climate change. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Extremes Index shows the area of the U.S. hit by extreme weather in the past five years has doubled from 20 years ago, encompassing heat and cold waves, downpours, and drought. Climate Central meteorologist and economist Adam Smith noted that 2025's Palisades and Eaton wildfires were the costliest weather disaster in the United States last year, worsened by heat and drought conditions. Imperial College of London climate scientist Friederike Otto, who coordinates World Weather Attribution, stated that climate change is causing more extreme events, more intense ones, and numerous records being broken.