Anchorage, AK weather in March
Anchorage is cold and snowy in March: highs average 33°F and nights drop to about 19°F. There are about 6 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 11.0 in. Pack for serious cold.
- Normal high
- 33°F
- Normal low
- 19°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 0.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 11.0 in
- snow on the ground 29 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 30°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 16°F | 23°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 23% | 17% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:00 am / 6:23 pm | 7:25 am / 8:41 pm |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 13.3 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Alaska Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am21°Fdew point 14°F
- 9 am22°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon29°Fdew point 16°F
- 3 pm33°Fdew point 17°F
- 6 pm32°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 pm27°Fdew point 18°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Anchorage Merrill Fld (2 mi away); average wind 4 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below29 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more29 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 0.7 in; a dry March brings about 0.4 in and a wet one about 0.9 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 11.0 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202019: average high 42°F
- Coolest March2007: average high 22°F
- Wettest March2002: 1.6 in
- Driest March1997: 0.01 in
- Highest reading53°F (March 31, 2016)
- Lowest reading-16°F (March 5, 1992)
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 | 27°F | 33°F | 45°F |
| Normal low | 15°F | 19°F | 30°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.0 h | 11.8 h | 14.8 h |
Highs change by +6°F from February and +12°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Cooler: Denali Park, AK177 mi · high 25°F · 6 wet days
How Anchorage ranks in March
- Normal high376th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days67th driest of 378
- Comfortable days333rd most of 339
What to pack for Anchorage in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 19°F, highs near 33°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 29 days
- A hat and gloves – about 29 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 1215 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Anchorage in March?
The normal high is 33°F and the normal low is 19°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -16°F (March 5, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Anchorage in March?
About 6 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.7 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2002 (1.6 in); the driest was in 1997 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Anchorage in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 11.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 29 days.
Is March a good time to visit Anchorage?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Anchorage (34 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Anchorage Intl Airport (USW00026451), 5.4 mi SW of the city center, 120 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Anchorage Merrill Fld (USW00026409), 1.5 mi E of the city center, 138 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Merrill Field Airport (702735-26409), 1.4 mi E of the city center, 126 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).