Palm Springs, CA weather in March
Palm Springs is warm and dry in March: highs average 81°F and nights drop to about 54°F. Expect about 2 wet days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 81°F
- Normal low
- 54°F
- Wet days
- 2
- 0.6 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 77°F | 84°F |
| Normal low | 52°F | 56°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 8% | 4% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:14 am / 5:42 pm | 6:34 am / 7:05 pm |
| Daylight | 11.5 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 (Pacific Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am52°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 am70°Fdew point 38°F
- Noon78°Fdew point 33°F
- 3 pm80°Fdew point 32°F
- 6 pm71°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 pm62°Fdew point 39°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Desert Resorts Rgnl Airport (26 mi away); average wind 7 mph; clear or few clouds in 83% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 14%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more5 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow2 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 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 0.6 in; a dry March brings about 0.0 in and a wet one about 0.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202015: average high 87°F
- Coolest March2006: average high 72°F
- Wettest March1991: 3.5 in
- Driest March1993: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading102°F (March 21, 2004)
- Lowest reading38°F (March 6, 2000)
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 | 74°F | 81°F | 87°F |
| Normal low | 50°F | 54°F | 59°F |
| Wet days | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Comfortable days | 17 | 15 | 8 |
| Daylight | 11.0 h | 12.0 h | 13.0 h |
Highs change by +7°F from February and +6°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Cooler: Menifee, CA35 mi · high 70°F · 5 wet days
How Palm Springs ranks in March
- Normal high11th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 60 in California
- Wet days1st driest of 378
- Comfortable days96th most of 339
What to pack for Palm Springs in March
- Layers – afternoons near 81°F but nights near 54°F
Heating and cooling
March has 55 heating degree days and 132 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 4% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Palm Springs in March?
The normal high is 81°F and the normal low is 54°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest March reading was 102°F (March 21, 2004).
Does it rain a lot in Palm Springs in March?
About 2 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.6 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (3.5 in); the driest was in 1993, with no measurable precipitation.
Is March a good time to visit Palm Springs?
March ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Palm Springs (67 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days and about 5 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are January, February and December.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Palm Springs Rgnl Airport (USW00093138), 2.3 mi E of the city center, 421 ft (58 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Palm Springs (USC00046635), 2.0 mi E of the city center, 425 ft (54 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Desert Resorts Rgnl Airport (USW00003104), 26 mi ESE of the city center, -118 ft (597 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Desert Resorts Rgnl Arpt (747187-03104), 26 mi ESE of the city center, -118 ft (597 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.