Last month was Europe's hottest March on record, with temperatures significantly exceeding the average, according to new data.
Figures from the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service show that Europe's average air temperature in March was 2.41°C above the 1991-2020 average, marking a significant increase.
The largest weather anomalies were recorded over eastern Europe and southwest Russia.
A map of March's surface air temperature highlights the extreme heat, with most of Europe and parts of the UK shaded in dark orange and red to show how much temperatures exceeded the average.
Campaigners have raised concerns about rising average temperatures as summer approaches, which would increase the risk of wildfires.
Last week, the Met Office announced England had seen its sunniest March since records began in 1920, as persistent high pressure brought long spells of clear weather.
Some 185.8 hours of sunshine were measured across England, 59% more than the long-term average, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.
Wales saw its second sunniest March while the UK experienced its third sunniest.
It comes as the UK saw its hottest day of the year last Friday, with temperatures reaching 23.7C.
That was hotter than the likes of Ibiza, Rhodes and Cyprus.
And for Londoners staying in the capital during the first week of the Easter school holidays, the outlook is looking pretty good with more warm sunshine on the cards.
The Met Office is forecasting six days of unbroken sunshine for the capital through until Sunday, with temperatures steadily increasing to a predicted high of 23C on Friday and Saturday.
However, in terms of rainfall, March was a month of two extremes in Europe, Copernicus found.
While it was drier than average in the UK and Ireland and the area of central Europe to Turkey, countries like Spain and Portugal saw widespread flooding.
Parts of Europe had their driest March on record, but others had the wettest in at least the past 47 years.
Samantha Burgess, the strategic lead for climate at Copernicus said: "March 2025 was the warmest March for Europe highlighting once again how temperatures are continuing to break records.
“It was also a month with contrasting rainfall extremes across Europe with many areas experiencing their driest March on record and others their wettest March on record for at least the past 47 years.”
UN scientists say it is "unequivocal" that human activity is warming the planet, driving up average temperatures and increasing the frequency of heatwaves.
