Modesto, CA weather in March
March in Modesto: mild, with some rain. Highs 68°F, lows 45°F, rain on about 8 days. A great month for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 68°F
- Normal low
- 45°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 1.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 47°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 29% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:35 am / 5:57 pm | 6:50 am / 7:25 pm |
| Daylight | 11.4 h | 12.6 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am46°Fdew point 42°F
- 9 am55°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon63°Fdew point 46°F
- 3 pm66°Fdew point 45°F
- 6 pm61°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm54°Fdew point 45°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Stockton Metro Airport (21 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 66% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 28%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F19 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 snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in March
Normal precipitation is 1.8 in; a dry March brings about 0.8 in and a wet one about 2.5 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202015: average high 77°F
- Coolest March1991: average high 61°F
- Wettest March1995: 5.8 in
- Driest March1994: 0.01 in
- Highest reading87°F (March 30, 2015)
- Lowest reading33°F (March 8, 2012)
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 | 62°F | 68°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 42°F | 45°F | 48°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 8 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 19 | 19 |
| Daylight | 10.8 h | 12.0 h | 13.2 h |
Highs change by +6°F from February and +6°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Furnace Creek, CA242 mi · high 83°F · 2 wet days
- Drier: Furnace Creek, CA242 mi · high 83°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Yosemite Valley, CA78 mi · high 57°F · 11 wet days
How Modesto ranks in March
- Normal high119th warmest of 378 cities; 29th of 60 in California
- Wet days154th driest of 378
- Comfortable days18th most of 339
What to pack for Modesto in March
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 8 days
Heating and cooling
March has 262 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Modesto in March?
The normal high is 68°F and the normal low is 45°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 33°F (most recently on March 8, 2012).
Does it rain a lot in Modesto in March?
About 8 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.8 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1995 (5.8 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.01 in).
Is March a good time to visit Modesto?
March ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Modesto (73 out of 100). It has about 19 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Modesto City Co Airport (USW00023258), 2.7 mi ESE of the city center, 73 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Turlock #2 (USC00049073), 13 mi SE of the city center, 103 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Stockton Metro Airport (USW00023237), 21 mi NW of the city center, 26 ft (62 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mdsto Cty-Co H Sham Fd Apt (724926-23258), 2.5 mi ESE of the city center, 87 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.