"The global surface (land and ocean surface) temperature was the second warmest on record for March in the 129-year record...".

What this means is that if la Nina was not in effect, the past month's global temperature would have broken the global average temperature by a mile or two.

The full NOAA report is here:

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080417_marchstats.html