The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that US tornado activity more than doubles the March average, with more than 200 tornadoes occurring across the country in March 2025, over twice the usual number. Last month’s unusually high activity marks a particularly active start to the extreme weather season. The spike continued into April, with over 150 tornado reports from the Midwest and South amid a protracted stretch of potentially fatal weather.

The average temperature in the contiguous United States during March was 46.9°F, which is 5.4°F higher than the long-term average, according to NOAA data. March 2025 became the sixth hottest March ever recorded. With the exception of certain regions in California and the Southeast, most of the Lower 48 states experienced above-average to significantly above-average temperatures.

Brad Vest photographed Anthony Hudson helping his sister, Kelsey Webb, on March 15, 2025, as they dug through the wreckage of their house at the Harmony Hills trailer park in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, a town severely affected by the extreme weather.

Drought Conditions Worsen Across Southern and Plains States

In March, NOAA reported higher tornado activity and below-normal precipitation in areas of the South and Plains. As a result, drought conditions have gotten worse in places like Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Furthermore, the Carolinas have remained drier, which has exacerbated droughts and fueled devastating wildfires.

South Carolina experienced its driest January-to-March period in over 40 years, while North Carolina had its driest March since 2016. These exceptionally dry conditions allowed wildfires to spread quickly. Millions of fallen trees from Hurricane Helene in the fall of 2024 contributed to the region’s massive supply of dry fuel.

The U.S. Drought Monitor report, which was released on April 1, 2025, states that drought conditions are present across around 43.4% of the mainland United States.

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March Global Temperatures Near Record Highs

The Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that March 2025 was the second-warmest March on record globally. The average worldwide surface air temperature reached 14.06°C (57.31°F), surpassing the 1.5°C Paris Agreement benchmark for the twentieth time in 21 months. Even if this goal is based on long-term averages, it is concerning that the threshold is frequently exceeded.

In Europe, March was the hottest month ever recorded, with an average temperature 2.41°C (4.34°F) above the 1991–2020 baseline. Sea surface temperatures globally were also exceptionally high; March 2025 recorded the second-highest average for the month at 69.73°F. Antarctic sea ice was 24% below average, while Arctic sea ice was 6% below average, a record low for March.

The NOAA is expected to publish its 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season forecast in May. US tornado activity more than doubles the March average, coupled with rising temperatures and worsening droughts, highlights a broader trend of intensifying and interconnected climate risks across the United States.

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