Nevada broke its statewide March high temperature record by 6 degrees Fahrenheit during a mid-March heat wave, amid the collapse of the region's snowpack. Laughlin reached 106°F, surpassing the previous record of 100°F. The event occurred during the 11 warmest years on record from 2015 to 2025, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
A heat wave in mid-March pushed temperatures across Nevada to extremes. Laughlin recorded 106°F, breaking the prior March mark of 100°F. Reno saw seven days above 80°F, compared to a previous record of two. Nevada State Climatologist Baker Perry noted, “It’s not just that we broke monthly records, but it’s by how much we broke the monthly records, and not just in one place.” Some locations exceeded prior highs by up to 8 degrees, during the hottest 11-year period in 176 years of records. The World Meteorological Organization confirmed last week that 2015 through 2025 were the warmest years ever recorded globally. Perry described the simultaneous heat and snow drought as “particularly concerning.” Winter precipitation was near normal, but warm air caused rapid snowmelt—the second-highest single-day rate in the eastern Sierra. SNOTEL stations show 70% of northern and central Nevada sites with zero snowpack. This early loss sets up risks for wildfires, as rapid snowmelt and rains spurred early plant growth, creating fine fuels. Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District Division Chief August Isernhagen warned of unprecedented conditions, noting most fires are human-caused. Dawn Johnson, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Reno, said early snowpack loss stresses timber, increasing fire hazards sooner. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated, “When history repeats itself eleven times, it is no longer a coincidence. It is a call to act.” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo highlighted 2025's impacts, including heatwaves and wildfires causing thousands of deaths and billions in losses.
