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Last Update: 10/26/2026 at 11:33 PM EST
U.S. Heat and Climate Change
Coverage from Duluth News Tribune, Climate Central, and others
This subject examines how human-caused warming is reflected in U.
S. temperature records and extreme heat, with the March 2026 Southwest heat wave as a defining case. Arizona and Southern California experienced extraordinary March temperatures, while attribution researchers concluded that comparable warmth would have been virtually impossible without greenhouse-gas emissions. NOAA observations, IPCC assessments, and analyses from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central connect these events to broader shifts in heat records, exposure, and planning assumptions. The evidence also considers consequences such as drought, wildfire risk, health impacts, and the challenge of preparing for extremes outside historical experience.
Looking Back
191 Day Timeline
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History
10/03/2026
The story now extends beyond the March heat wave to realized summer heat across the South and central U.S., with humid days and warm nights elevating health risks.
All Articles89 articles
Important
Climate Central and Minnesota climatology experts attributed a Minnesota Northland heat wave to human-caused warming, linking higher extreme-temperature frequency to health risks.
7/13/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Shift Index analysis forecasts CSI 5 extreme heat and dangerous humid heat across the United States through July 28, estimating at least fivefold human-caused likelihood.
7/24/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Central analyzed 243 U.S. cities from 1970 to 2025 and attributed most observed summer warming to human-caused climate change.
5/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported the hottest U.S. March on record while NOAA and Copernicus forecast a super strong El Niño to intensify toward winter 2025-2026.
4/8/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported record abnormally hot March conditions across the contiguous United States as drought worsened, while NOAA and Copernicus forecast a superstrong El Nino into winter.
4/8/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
In North America, late-March 2026 western heat wave analysis links extreme temperatures and drought-driven wildfire risk to human-caused climate change and compared events from 2012 and 2021.
4/2/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution and Climate Central assess a multi-week western U.S. heat dome occurring alongside low snowpack, linking climate change to higher heat-wave likelihood and intensification.
3/28/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA says March was the continental U.S.'s most abnormally hot month in 132 years, amid forecasts for a strong El Nino into winter.
4/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
A near-record heat wave in St. Louis illustrates that isolated weather cannot establish climate attribution, while long-term records show rising temperatures and climate indicators.
9/3/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The National Weather Service warned more than 80 million U.S. residents about extreme heat as climate change intensified dangerous temperatures across southern and southwestern states.
8/25/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Australian researchers analyzing climate data since 1910 report weather whiplash events, heat waves followed by heavy rain, increasing in frequency and area, especially in southeastern Australia and southern Queensland.
6/25/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Central analysis using NOAA-linked temperature data reports all U.S. states warmed since 1970, with strongest regional increases since Earth Day in 2025 context.
4/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Researchers using daily U.S. temperature data from 1950 to 2021 report uneven warming across extremes and full temperature distributions, with different regions showing different patterns.
4/13/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
In March 2026, ECMWF-based analysis found the U.S. Lower 48 set a record warm March, with attribution studies describing climate change influence on extreme Southwest heat.
4/7/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientists linked March U.S. record western heat and eastern storms to jet-stream and planetary-wave patterns, with rapid attribution finding human-caused warming increased heat risk.
3/30/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution and NOAA-linked record data connect a Southwest March heat wave that reached 112 F on March 20 to human-caused climate change.
3/29/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
A heat dome-based early March heatwave across Arizona, California, and Nevada is pushing record-level temperatures and accelerating snowmelt, with attribution linking higher likelihood and intensity to human-driven warming.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Western United States faces a March heat wave driven by heat domes and climate warming.
3/17/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientists from South Korea and Australia report heat-first droughts increased globally by 2023, with regional surges across the Americas, Canada, Alaska, and Asia.
3/7/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Shift Index finds human-caused warming drives spring warming in 241 US cities from 1970 to 2025.
2/25/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Adjusted climate datasets show that recent U.S. heat-wave years rival the 1930s, while modern extremes are global and driven largely by greenhouse-gas emissions.
8/3/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
A CONUS temperature-record analysis finds measurement-bias corrections change high-temperature record comparisons between the 1930s and recent decades.
7/27/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Researchers analyzing NOAA and Berkeley Earth temperature records find raw 1930s hot-day counts overstate history due to thermometer and observation discontinuities.
7/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
The National Weather Service issued heat warnings and advisories this week for more than 80 million people across the South-Central United States and Southwest as climate-intensified temperatures threaten dangerous heat conditions.
8/25/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported record-abnormally hot March temperatures across the continental United States while drought conditions and an intensifying El Nino outlook suggested continued climate-driven temperature extremes into 2026-2027.
4/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
North Carolina reported record-warm March conditions in mid-2020s, followed by cold snaps, drought, and wildfire danger, linked by scientists to climate-driven weather whiplash.
4/1/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
In March, a heat wave across the US Southwest broke early temperature records, and scientists attributed the intensity and timing to climate change while citing ecological lessons from the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome.
5/2/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution linked a late-March western U.S. heat wave to climate change amplification, with record March highs in California and Arizona and elevated wildfire risk.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Researchers report that continued global warming is increasing severe swings between contrasting extremes, with Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe facing heightened compound-disaster risks.
8/11/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Central provides climate fingerprint attribution tools, including the Climate Shift Index, to quantify human-driven contributions to extreme weather and local flood risks.
7/1/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Central reports 49 U.S. states warmed an average 3 degrees F since 1970 based on analyses of 242 cities.
4/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
PLOS Climate researchers report uneven U.S. warming from 1950 to 2021, with temperature extremes changing more than averages across regions.
4/13/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported record-high temperatures during an early western U.S. heatwave from March 16-23, with forecasts for more records March 24-27 and climate-attributed higher extreme-heat likelihood.
3/24/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientists conducted a rapid attribution analysis in March assessing a West U.S. heatwave, finding fossil-fuel-driven climate change increased event likelihood and harms.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Meteorologists report a persistent heat dome in the western and central United States has broken March temperature records, with eastward expansion forecast by late next week.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution analysis, released in March, found human-induced climate change made a western U.S. heatwave about four times more likely and supported record temperatures.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution linked a March Southwest U.S. heat wave that broke record temperatures to human-caused warming, during 2026.
3/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Colorado reported an unprecedented March winter heatwave when Dillon and Steamboat Springs set warmest-ever records, and scientists said climate change increased event likelihood.
3/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution linked a March 2026 U.S. Southwest heat wave that shattered temperature records to human-caused climate change, raising extreme-weather risk and emergency planning challenges.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution assessed a record-breaking March 2026 heat wave across the U.S. Southwest and northwest Mexico as virtually impossible without human-caused climate change.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate scientists said a March winter heatwave over Colorado would be very unlikely without human-caused climate change, citing record temperatures and attribution assessments.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution estimated human-caused climate change made a 18-22 March western North America heatwave about 800 times more likely and about 2.6 C hotter.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientists linked a record-breaking March heat wave in the US Southwest, including Arizona's 110 F reading, to human-caused climate change and growing extreme-weather risk.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Colorado and parts of the West set record warm March temperatures during a high pressure heat dome as scientists assessed increased odds from human-caused climate change.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientists and World Weather Attribution linked a March record heat wave in the US Southwest to human-caused climate change as NOAA reports broader extreme-weather expansion since earlier decades.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Colorado faced record-warm March temperatures in a persistent high-pressure-driven heatwave, and scientists said human-caused warming increased the likelihood of such conditions.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution researchers said a late winter heat wave across California and the US Southwest would be about once in 500 years without human-caused climate change.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Forecasters in the US West expect a late-March heat dome to break numerous temperature records, increasing heatstroke hazards and intensifying drought-driven wildfire risks.
3/18/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Central forecasts March 6 warmth in the central and eastern United States driven by human-caused climate change.
3/5/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution reported human-caused warming increased a record-breaking March heat wave in the U.S. Southwest, affecting Arizona and Southern California in 2026.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
NOAA reported record-setting March heat across the U.S. as Climate Central attributed recent extreme warmth to human-caused climate change and forecasts predict a super-strong El Niño.
4/9/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
PLOS Climate researchers report uneven 1950-2021 warming across US states, with different shifts in temperature extremes shaping agriculture and public health risks.
4/3/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
A March heat wave across the United States in nearly 180 cities raised record temperatures as human-caused warming increased the probability of extreme heat days.
3/26/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution researchers reported human-caused warming increased the likelihood of a March Western U.S. heat wave by about four times as snowpack and water risks mounted.
3/24/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution scientists reported a March US West heatwave with temperatures 30F above average, attributing increased likelihood to climate change.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate scientists assessed a Western U.S. early March heat wave as highly unlikely without human induced climate change, linking the event to heightened hydropower, wildfire, and public health risks.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientists report that a 2021 western North American heat wave caused widespread ecological disruption in western North America.
3/15/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution and U.S. NOAA metrics were cited in reporting on a record-breaking March heat wave in the Southwest, tied to human-caused warming.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Interesting
Forecasts from the Climate Prediction Center predict a western heat wave starting this weekend in the United States, with Phoenix near 100F.
3/11/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientific explanation links desert aridity and extreme heat to precipitation thresholds and 30-degree atmospheric circulation, while human warming increases heat and desertification risk with regional variability.
7/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
A mid-March upper-level ridge produced record heat across the U.S. Southwest and central states in March 2026, supporting large Great Plains wildfires.
3/31/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Colorado climate scientists assessed a March winter heatwave with record temperatures as human-caused warming likely increased likelihood and severity.
3/24/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution linked early-spring extreme heat in Arizona, California, and Nebraska to human-caused climate change, increasing wildfire and health risks.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Ed Hawkins discussed Climate Stripes, historical climate reconstruction, and extreme weather research on the Totally Cooked podcast ahead of June 20 Climate Stripes Day worldwide.
6/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Experts and the National Weather Service report March heat, rare snow, and flooding rains across the United States, linking increased heat likelihood to climate change.
3/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
UCLA researchers report record March heat in the western United States and warn climate change is increasing odds of dangerous summer heat.
3/31/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Meteorologists and climate scientists report a record-breaking U.S. heat dome across 14 states, with attribution indicating human-caused warming made the extremes far more likely.
3/24/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Central used attribution science to show a western U.S. heat wave was at least five times more likely due to human-caused climate change.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate Central released an attribution study on a record March heat wave in the western United States, finding human-caused greenhouse gases increased heat likelihood and associated health and snowpack risks.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Gregg Gallina and Jeff Masters reported an eastward-moving U.S. heat dome drove record March temperatures in early April, with attribution work linking much higher likelihood to climate change.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Meteorologists report a heat dome pushing record March temperatures eastward across the U.S., and World Weather Attribution links the extreme heat to climate change.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Meteorologists and climate attribution scientists reported a Southwest-to-Plains heat dome expanding eastward in the United States in late March, with record temperatures and climate-linked likelihood changes assessed by World Weather Attribution.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Scientists and NOAA analysts report a U.S. Southwest March heat wave broke record temperatures as human-caused warming increased extreme heat risk.
3/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution linked a record-breaking March U.S. Southwest heat wave, including extreme Arizona and Southern California temperatures, to human-caused climate warming.
3/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution linked an unprecedented U.S. Southwest March heat wave to human-caused warming, raising extreme-heat and disaster risk despite emergency planning assumptions.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Heat alerts affected 39 million people across California, Nevada, and Arizona as early-season record temperatures raised wildfire and drought risk in the Western U.S.
3/19/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Meteorologists report mid March US extreme weather across multiple regions linked to jet stream shifts and climate change.
3/16/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Meteorologists report a mid March surge of diverse extreme weather across the United States linked to human caused climate change.
3/16/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution assessed a U.S. Southwest heat dome producing record March temperatures, finding fossil-fuel climate change greatly increased the likelihood and intensity.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
World Weather Attribution analysis links record-setting early-spring heat in the US west to climate change, raising drought, water-supply, and wildfire risks.
3/24/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Experts and World Weather Attribution linked a March record-breaking U.S. Southwest heat wave to human-caused warming, as NOAA data shows increasing hot-weather records and rising billion-dollar disaster impacts.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
National Weather Service forecasts record March heat wave in Southern California this week.
3/16/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Climate media coverage is debated as an analysis of U.S. March temperature records across Colorado, California, Arizona, and Washington highlights long-run variability and Pacific drivers.
3/23/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Warm, dry March heat reaching the 90s across California, including San Francisco first-ever 90-degree March day, prompted wildfire preparedness guidance and climate risk concerns in 2020s.
4/4/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Heat dome drives record March temperatures across the US West and Southwest, prompting extensive heat warnings and public health guidance for millions.
3/22/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Cal Fire and California leaders respond to record March heat as experts warn wildfire risk rises and Sierra Nevada snowpack declines could reduce late-season runoff.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Meteorologists report a mid March clash of air masses across the United States producing broad extreme weather with climate change influencing jet stream and heat patterns.
3/16/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Nebraska and parts of Arizona and California faced extreme heat warnings in early spring, with wildfire red flag warnings and climate attribution to human-caused warming.
3/21/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General
Martinez Lake and Phoenix, Arizona set record March temperatures during a late-winter heatwave, and scientific analysis attributed increased likelihood to climate change.
3/20/2026 • Climate Science & Impacts • General