Salinas, CA weather in March
Salinas is mild in March, with some rain: highs average 66°F and nights drop to about 45°F. There are about 9 days with rain. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 45°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 2.1 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 64°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 44°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 25% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:37 am / 6:00 pm | 6:53 am / 7:27 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).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph1 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 snow9 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 2.1 in; a dry March brings about 0.6 in and a wet one about 2.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Snow is very rare.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202015: average high 75°F
- Coolest March2006: average high 59°F
- Wettest March1991: 6.0 in
- Driest March1997: 0.07 in
- Highest reading92°F (March 14, 2015)
- Lowest reading31°F (March 1, 2007)
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 | 63°F | 66°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 43°F | 45°F | 46°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| Comfortable days | 11 | 14 | 15 |
| Daylight | 10.9 h | 12.0 h | 13.2 h |
Highs change by +3°F from February and +1°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Solvang, CA167 mi · high 71°F · 7 wet days
- Drier: Bakersfield, CA173 mi · high 70°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Yosemite Valley, CA136 mi · high 57°F · 11 wet days
How Salinas ranks in March
- Normal high155th warmest of 378 cities; 48th of 60 in California
- Wet days193rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days109th most of 339
What to pack for Salinas in March
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 9 days
Heating and cooling
March has 311 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 11% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Salinas in March?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 45°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 31°F (March 1, 2007).
Does it rain a lot in Salinas in March?
About 9 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.1 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (6.0 in); the driest was in 1997 (0.07 in).
Is March a good time to visit Salinas?
March ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Salinas (67 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days. The best month is July.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Salinas Municipal Airport (USW00023233), 2.8 mi ESE of the city center, 74 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Salinas #2 (USC00047668), 1.4 mi SSW of the city center, 45 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: N Y. Mineta Sn Jo Intl Apt (724945-23293), 49 mi NNW of the city center, 49 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).