Thornton, CO weather in March
March in Thornton: cool and mostly dry, with some snow. Highs 56°F, lows 27°F, about 6 wet days and about 8.8 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 56°F
- Normal low
- 27°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 1.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.8 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 51°F | 60°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 16% | 22% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:32 am / 5:51 pm | 6:45 am / 7:22 pm |
| Daylight | 11.3 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 (Mountain Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am32°Fdew point 20°F
- 9 am42°Fdew point 21°F
- Noon50°Fdew point 19°F
- 3 pm52°Fdew point 19°F
- 6 pm46°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm39°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (16 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 31% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 53%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 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 snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more4 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 1.2 in; a dry March brings about 0.4 in and a wet one about 1.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 8.8 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202017: average high 64°F
- Coolest March2019: average high 47°F
- Wettest March2003: 4.8 in
- Driest March2012: 0.01 in
- Highest reading82°F (March 20, 2017)
- Lowest reading-5°F (March 2, 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 | 48°F | 56°F | 63°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 27°F | 34°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 3 | 9 | 13 |
| Daylight | 10.7 h | 12.0 h | 13.3 h |
Highs change by +8°F from February and +7°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Cooler: Estes Park, CO46 mi · high 47°F · 9 wet days
How Thornton ranks in March
- Normal high221st warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days50th driest of 378
- Comfortable days177th most of 339
What to pack for Thornton in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 56°F
- Layers – afternoons near 56°F but nights near 27°F
- Waterproof boots – about 8.8 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 721 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 11% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Thornton in March?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -5°F (March 2, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Thornton in March?
About 6 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.2 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2003 (4.8 in); the driest was in 2012 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Thornton in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 8.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is March a good time to visit Thornton?
March ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Thornton (58 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, snowfall and snow depth: Denver-Stapleton (USW00023062), 9.1 mi SE of the city center, 5,286 ft (61 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain and frost dates: Northglenn (USC00055984), 3.1 mi NW of the city center, 5,407 ft (60 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Aurora Buckley Fld ANGB (USW00023036), 16 mi SE of the city center, 5,663 ft (316 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Denver International Airport (725650-03017), 17 mi E of the city center, 5,404 ft (57 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.