California spot ties U.S. temperature record for March amid heat wave

CBS News
March 19, 2026
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3 min read

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California desert ties U.S. March temperature record amid winter heat wave.

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A California desert community tied the highest March temperature ever recorded in the United States as an unprecedented winter heat wave swept the Southwest. The record-tying reading underscores how climate patterns are shifting seasonal weather norms, with heat waves occurring during months traditionally associated with milder temperatures. March heat records carry particular significance because they can trigger early fire season, strain water supplies, and stress ecosystems unprepared for such temperatures. The Southwest has experienced intensifying heat waves over recent decades, a trend climate scientists link to warming global temperatures. The event adds to growing evidence that extreme temperature records are being broken with increasing frequency across the country.

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