Fort Smith, AR weather in March
March in Fort Smith: mild, with frequent rain. Highs 66°F, lows 42°F, rain on about 10 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 42°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 3.9 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 61°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 37°F | 46°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 30% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:47 am / 6:12 pm | 7:05 am / 7:37 pm |
| Daylight | 11.4 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 am45°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 am51°Fdew point 40°F
- Noon59°Fdew point 40°F
- 3 pm63°Fdew point 39°F
- 6 pm60°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 41°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ft Smith Rgnl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 55% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 41%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below5 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 3.9 in; a dry March brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.3 in.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 76°F
- Coolest March1996: average high 58°F
- Wettest March2008: 10.5 in
- Driest March2007: 0.5 in
- Highest reading92°F (March 26, 2020)
- Lowest reading8°F (March 3, 2002)
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 | 57°F | 66°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 42°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 14 | 16 |
| Daylight | 10.9 h | 12.0 h | 13.1 h |
Highs change by +9°F from February and +9°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Drier: Oklahoma City, OK176 mi · high 63°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Springfield, MO140 mi · high 59°F · 11 wet days
How Fort Smith ranks in March
- Normal high150th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in Arkansas
- Wet days230th driest of 378
- Comfortable days115th most of 339
What to pack for Fort Smith in March
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 10 days
Frost in March
The last spring frost typically comes around Mar 25; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 11. All frost dates for Fort Smith.
Heating and cooling
March has 369 heating degree days and 14 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Fort Smith in March?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 42°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 8°F (March 3, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Fort Smith in March?
About 10 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.9 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2008 (10.5 in); the driest was in 2007 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Fort Smith in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 0.3 in.
Is March a good time to visit Fort Smith?
March ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Fort Smith (65 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Ft Smith Rgnl Airport (USW00013964), 4.2 mi SSE of the city center, 449 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Fort Smith Regional Airport (723440-13964), 4.1 mi SSE of the city center, 448 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.