Trending Now - California and Phoenix Set March Temperature Records
WHO:
CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan
Bryan Lewis, meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS)
WHAT:
Temperatures in North Shore, California, reached 108 degrees, tying the highest March temperature ever recorded in the U.S.
The previous record of 108 degrees was first reached in Rio Grande City, Texas, in 1954.
Phoenix recorded a temperature of 102 degrees on March 18th, 2026, setting a new record for that date.
The previous record for March 18th was 95 degrees, set in 2017.
Las Vegas hit 99 degrees on March 18th, breaking its previous record of 93 degrees set in 2022.
Downtown Los Angeles reached 94 degrees, surpassing its previous high of 87 degrees from 1997.
Palm Springs, California, recorded 104 degrees, tying its hottest March day on record from 1966.
An extreme heat warning was issued for central and southern Arizona from March 19th through March 22nd, 2026.
WHERE:
North Shore, California
Phoenix, Arizona
Las Vegas, Nevada
Downtown Los Angeles, California
Palm Springs, California
Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, and South Mountain in Phoenix
WHEN:
March 18th, 2026, was the date Phoenix set its new record temperature.
March 19th, 2026, is when the extreme heat warning was issued.
The heat wave is forecasted to last through the first half of the week of March 19th, 2026.
WHY:
The record temperatures are attributed to a record-shattering winter heat wave affecting the Southwest.
HOW:
The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning, which triggers daytime closures of some hiking trails in Phoenix.
(UPDATED March 19, 2026 17:25 UTC)
Today, temperatures soared in North Shore, California, reaching 108 degrees, which ties the highest March temperature ever recorded in the U.S., a record first set in Rio Grande City, Texas, back in 1954. Meanwhile, on March 18, Phoenix hit 102 degrees, breaking its previous record of 95 degrees from 2017, while Las Vegas recorded 99 degrees, surpassing its 93-degree record set in 2022. An extreme heat warning has been issued for central and southern Arizona, effective from today through March 22, as this record-shattering winter heat wave continues to impact the Southwest.