Ketchikan, AK weather in March
Ketchikan is chilly in March, with rain on most days and some snow: highs average 44°F and nights drop to about 32°F. There are about 21 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 7.8 in. Keep rain gear handy.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 32°F
- Wet days
- 21
- 11.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.8 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 31°F | 35°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 63% | 67% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:36 am / 5:21 pm | 6:19 am / 7:21 pm |
| Daylight | 10.7 h | 13.0 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 am35°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am38°Fdew point 32°F
- Noon41°Fdew point 32°F
- 3 pm42°Fdew point 32°F
- 6 pm39°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 pm37°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ketchikan Intl Airport (3 mi away); average wind 8 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 snow21 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in16 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below16 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 11.0 in; a dry March brings about 7.0 in and a wet one about 13.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 7 days bring half an inch or more, and about 4 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.8 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202016: average high 50°F
- Coolest March2002: average high 38°F
- Wettest March2010: 24.5 in
- Driest March2006: 4.3 in
- Highest reading66°F (March 20, 2019)
- Lowest reading6°F (March 8, 2003)
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 | 41°F | 44°F | 50°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 32°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 17 | 21 | 19 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 9.7 h | 11.9 h | 14.2 h |
Highs change by +3°F from February and +6°F into April.
How Ketchikan ranks in March
- Normal high334th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 8 in Alaska
- Wet days375th driest of 378
- Comfortable days331st most of 339
What to pack for Ketchikan in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 32°F, highs near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 21 days
- Waterproof boots – about 7.8 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 16 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 837 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 Ketchikan in March?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 32°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 6°F (most recently on March 8, 2003).
Does it rain a lot in Ketchikan in March?
About 21 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 11.0 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (24.5 in); the driest was in 2006 (4.3 in).
Does it snow in Ketchikan in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 7.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is March a good time to visit Ketchikan?
March ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Ketchikan (35 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Ketchikan Intl Airport (USW00025325), 2.8 mi WNW of the city center, 76 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Annette Island Airport (USW00025308), 21 mi S of the city center, 109 ft (69 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ketchikan Intl Airport (703950-25325), 3.2 mi WNW of the city center, 84 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).