March broke all records

It's official. This was "the warmest March on record" since records began in 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(The number 118 in the chart above means that this March was the hottest March in 118 years for that state. The number 117 in the chart above means that this March was the 2nd hottest since records have been kept.) 

How hot was it? It was so hot that NOAA reports "there were 15,272 warm temperature records broken (7,755 daytime records, 7,517 nighttime records)."

NOAA released some amazing charts and factoids yesterday:

• Hundreds of locations across the country broke their all-time March records. There were 21 instances of the nighttime temperatures being as warm, or warmer, than the existing record daytime temperature for a given date.
• A persistent weather pattern led to 25 states east of the Rockies having their warmest March on record. An additional 15 states had monthly temperatures ranking among their ten warmest.