Unprecedented March heat: Tracking the records, climate connections in NorCal
A potentially unprecedented stretch of March heat is underway in Northern California. Daily records will easily be broken and all-time March records are within reach Tuesday through Saturday. Sacramento is also likely to tally up the most 80 degree days in any March going back to 1941. This unusually early heat has seasonal blooms and crops growing fast. Meanwhile the Sierra snowpack seems to be shrinking even faster. On Monday, the UC Berkeley Central Snow Lab said in a social media post that if current projections hold, the lab site could be without snow as early as the first week of April.Below is a summary of the records observed so far as well as the forecast from the KCRA 3 weather team. Tracking record highsSacramento reached 80 degrees for the first time in 2026 on Sunday. The high was 82 degrees, which tied the daily record high set in 2007. On average, Sacramento reaches 80 degrees for the first time on April 4th. Monday brought another tied record for Sacramento. The National Weather Service reported a high of 83 degrees at 5:30 pm. This ties the daily record high set in 2007.Stockton and Modesto’s daily record highs are a bit warmer than Sacramento’s. High temperatures in both cities have stayed below record territory so far, but that is expected to change starting Tuesday. Valley records are between 83 and 87 degrees Tuesday, 82 to 85 degrees Wednesday and 81 to 87 degrees Thursday. Sacramento is also likely to set a new record for the highest number of 80 degree days in March. The current record is 7 days. The forecast currently calls for at least 8.Daily record highs are possible through Saturday in the Valley and Tahoe area.Summerlike forecastThis week’s weather pattern will be dominated by an area of high pressure that’s more typical of summer than early spring. This strong high will create a dome of heat over the Southwest through the start of the weekend. Sacramento’s high temperatures will range between 87 and 89 degrees Tuesday through Saturday. The record high temperature for the entire month of March is 88 degrees. Stockton’s monthly record is 87. Modesto’s is 89.Summerlike warmth is also in the forecast in the Sierra. Tahoe-area temperatures will range between 70 and 76 degrees this week. Daily record highs for South Lake Tahoe run between 63 and 68 degrees. The March record is 71.The role of climate changeWarm, dry spells aren’t unusual this time of year in Northern California. But this prolonged stretch of heat has the makings of being unprecedented in terms of modern record keeping. That’s due in large part to the effects of global climate change. According to data published by NASA, Earth’s global average temperature has been increasing since the Industrial Revolution. The rate of that increase has nearly doubled in the past 50 years.When large scale warming happens in the background, our hottest days become hotter and our cold days become less cool. Just in the past six years, Sacramento’s Executive Airport has recorded 61 record high temperatures but only 6 record low temperatures. Said another way, climate change is putting a finger on the scale for high temperature records. And it’s making them more likely in the future. Research from Climate Central shows that since 1970, all seasons are warming in Northern California. Winter is warming the fastest with spring right behind. The climate science community is in strong agreement that increases in global temperatures are mostly being driven by human greenhouse gas emissions.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
A potentially unprecedented stretch of March heat is underway in Northern California.
Daily records will easily be broken and all-time March records are within reach Tuesday through Saturday. Sacramento is also likely to tally up the most 80 degree days in any March going back to 1941.
This unusually early heat has seasonal blooms and crops growing fast. Meanwhile the Sierra snowpack seems to be shrinking even faster.
On Monday, the UC Berkeley Central Snow Lab said in a social media post that if current projections hold, the lab site could be without snow as early as the first week of April.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Below is a summary of the records observed so far as well as the forecast from the KCRA 3 weather team.
Tracking record highs
Sacramento reached 80 degrees for the first time in 2026 on Sunday. The high was 82 degrees, which tied the daily record high set in 2007. On average, Sacramento reaches 80 degrees for the first time on April 4th.
Monday brought another tied record for Sacramento. The National Weather Service reported a high of 83 degrees at 5:30 pm. This ties the daily record high set in 2007.
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Stockton and Modesto’s daily record highs are a bit warmer than Sacramento’s. High temperatures in both cities have stayed below record territory so far, but that is expected to change starting Tuesday.
Valley records are between 83 and 87 degrees Tuesday, 82 to 85 degrees Wednesday and 81 to 87 degrees Thursday.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Sacramento is also likely to set a new record for the highest number of 80 degree days in March. The current record is 7 days. The forecast currently calls for at least 8.
Daily record highs are possible through Saturday in the Valley and Tahoe area.
Summerlike forecast
This week’s weather pattern will be dominated by an area of high pressure that’s more typical of summer than early spring. This strong high will create a dome of heat over the Southwest through the start of the weekend.
Hearst Owned
Sacramento’s high temperatures will range between 87 and 89 degrees Tuesday through Saturday. The record high temperature for the entire month of March is 88 degrees. Stockton’s monthly record is 87. Modesto’s is 89.
Summerlike warmth is also in the forecast in the Sierra. Tahoe-area temperatures will range between 70 and 76 degrees this week. Daily record highs for South Lake Tahoe run between 63 and 68 degrees. The March record is 71.
The role of climate change
Warm, dry spells aren’t unusual this time of year in Northern California. But this prolonged stretch of heat has the makings of being unprecedented in terms of modern record keeping.
That’s due in large part to the effects of global climate change. According to data published by NASA, Earth’s global average temperature has been increasing since the Industrial Revolution. The rate of that increase has nearly doubled in the past 50 years.
When large scale warming happens in the background, our hottest days become hotter and our cold days become less cool. Just in the past six years, Sacramento’s Executive Airport has recorded 61 record high temperatures but only 6 record low temperatures.
Said another way, climate change is putting a finger on the scale for high temperature records. And it’s making them more likely in the future.
Research from Climate Central shows that since 1970, all seasons are warming in Northern California. Winter is warming the fastest with spring right behind.
Hearst Owned
The climate science community is in strong agreement that increases in global temperatures are mostly being driven by human greenhouse gas emissions.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel