Fairbanks, AK weather in March
In March, Fairbanks sees highs around 25°F and lows around -3°F: very cold and snowy. Rain or snow falls on about 6 days. Snowfall averages about 6.5 in. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 25°F
- Normal low
- -3°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 0.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.5 in
- snow on the ground 31 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 18°F | 34°F |
| Normal low | -9°F | 7°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 21% | 16% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:59 am / 6:06 pm | 7:10 am / 8:39 pm |
| Daylight | 10.1 h | 13.5 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 am3°Fdew point -2°F
- 9 am5°Fdew point -1°F
- Noon17°Fdew point 4°F
- 3 pm23°Fdew point 6°F
- 6 pm21°Fdew point 6°F
- 9 pm12°Fdew point 4°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Fairbanks Intl Airport (5 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
- 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 in1 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more31 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 0.4 in; a dry March brings about 0.1 in and a wet one about 0.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 6.5 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202019: average high 40°F
- Coolest March2007: average high 8°F
- Wettest March1991: 2.2 in
- Driest March1998: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading56°F (March 31, 1994)
- Lowest reading-43°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 | 12°F | 25°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | -11°F | -3°F | 22°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylight | 8.5 h | 11.8 h | 15.3 h |
Highs change by +13°F from February and +21°F into April.
How Fairbanks ranks in March
- Normal high378th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days57th driest of 378
- Comfortable days335th most of 339
What to pack for Fairbanks in March
- A warm jacket – lows near -3°F, highs near 25°F
- Layers – afternoons near 25°F but nights near -3°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 31 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 1682 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 Fairbanks in March?
The normal high is 25°F and the normal low is -3°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -43°F (March 5, 1992).
Does it rain a lot in Fairbanks in March?
About 6 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.4 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (2.2 in); the driest was in 1998, with no measurable precipitation.
Does it snow in Fairbanks in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 6.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 31 days.
Is March a good time to visit Fairbanks?
March ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Fairbanks (34 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are June and July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Fairbanks Intl Airport (USW00026411), 5.2 mi WSW of the city center, 432 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fairbanks International (702610-26411), 5.3 mi WSW of the city center, 430 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).