Gulf Shores, AL weather in March
Expect mild weather with some rain in Gulf Shores in March, with highs near 72°F and lows near 46°F. Rain falls on about 9 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 72°F
- Normal low
- 46°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 5.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 4
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 69°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 49°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 27% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:16 am / 5:49 pm | 6:41 am / 7:08 pm |
| Daylight | 11.6 h | 12.5 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am55°Fdew point 50°F
- 9 am63°Fdew point 52°F
- Noon68°Fdew point 52°F
- 3 pm68°Fdew point 52°F
- 6 pm64°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 pm59°Fdew point 53°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (24 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 58% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 34%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph4 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more4 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below2 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in March
Normal precipitation is 5.1 in; a dry March brings about 2.3 in and a wet one about 7.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 2 an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 78°F
- Coolest March1996: average high 66°F
- Wettest March2009: 14.4 in
- Driest March2006: 0.4 in
- Highest reading87°F (March 23, 2017)
- Lowest reading22°F (March 9, 1996)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
March compared with February and April
| February | March | April | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 65°F | 72°F | 78°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 46°F | 52°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 14 | 11 |
| Daylight | 11.1 h | 12.0 h | 12.9 h |
Highs change by +7°F from February and +6°F into April.
How Gulf Shores ranks in March
- Normal high70th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Alabama
- Wet days190th driest of 378
- Comfortable days113th most of 339
What to pack for Gulf Shores in March
- Layers – afternoons near 72°F but nights near 46°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Heating and cooling
March has 217 heating degree days and 26 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Gulf Shores in March?
The normal high is 72°F and the normal low is 46°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest March reading was 87°F (March 23, 2017).
Does it rain a lot in Gulf Shores in March?
About 9 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 5.1 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (14.4 in); the driest was in 2006 (0.4 in).
Is March a good time to visit Gulf Shores?
March ranks 1st of 12 months on our comfort score for Gulf Shores (66 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best months are March, April and November.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and rain: Fairhope 2 Ne (USC00012813), 23 mi NNW of the city center, 23 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Dauphin Is #2 (USC00012172), 23 mi W of the city center, 8 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Pensacola Forest Sherman NAS (USW00003855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pensacola Rgnl Airport (USW00013899), 35 mi ENE of the city center, 112 ft (105 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pensacola NAS (722225-03855), 24 mi ENE of the city center, 28 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.