March Heatwave Likely To Break All-Time April Heat Records; 800 Records At Risk Nationwide By End Of Month

It’s been the warmest March on record so far across the United States, in terms of daytime high temperatures. And now, unprecedented heat for this time of year is expanding and intensifying across the West. Not only will temperatures break March monthly records, but this heat wave will even break April records. Over the next week, around 800 high temperature records are forecast to be neared, tied or broken at 165 locations in Western and Central states — some by more than 10 degrees — with unusual warmth set to linger into late March.

In a post on X, meteorologist Jeff Berardelli pointed out that a forecast high temperature of 114 in Riverside County, California, on Friday could break the March national temperature record of 108 in South Texas — and the April national temperature record of 113 in Death Valley, California. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned about heatstroke risks, especially for those in parked cars where temperatures can rapidly rise. The heat can be dangerous for pets, too.

According to climate scientist Daniel Swain, this event is similar to the record-breaking heat dome that hit the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia in Canada during June 2021, when Seattle’s temperature soared to 108 degrees.

EDIT

Friday’s forecast high temperature of 106 in Phoenix is about 26 degrees above average for the time of year. If this heat dome was instead occurring during peak summer heat in July — when the average in Phoenix is around 107 degrees — it could push temperatures past 130 degrees.

EDIT

https://wapo.st/4dz7vKF

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/03/18/record-heat-wave-west-california-arizona/