Vail, CO weather in March
Vail is chilly and snowy in March: highs average 42°F and nights drop to about 17°F. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 28.2 in. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 42°F
- Normal low
- 17°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 28.2 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 37°F | 46°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 20°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 30% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:38 am / 5:57 pm | 6:51 am / 7:28 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).
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°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 below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more20 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 1.8 in; a dry March brings about 1.4 in and a wet one about 2.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 28.2 in, with about 8 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 47°F
- Coolest March2002: average high 37°F
- Wettest March2016: 3.4 in
- Driest March2017: 0.5 in
- Highest reading62°F (March 26, 2012)
- Lowest reading-16°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 | 33°F | 42°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 9°F | 17°F | 24°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylight | 10.7 h | 12.0 h | 13.3 h |
Highs change by +9°F from February and +7°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Boulder, CO64 mi · high 57°F · 8 wet days
- Drier: Denver, CO74 mi · high 56°F · 7 wet days
How Vail ranks in March
- Normal high349th warmest of 378 cities; 16th of 17 in Colorado
- Wet days217th driest of 378
What to pack for Vail in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 17°F, highs near 42°F
- Layers – afternoons near 42°F but nights near 17°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 20 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 1110 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 Vail in March?
The normal high is 42°F and the normal low is 17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -16°F (March 2, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Vail in March?
About 10 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 2016 (3.4 in); the driest was in 2017 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Vail in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 28.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is March a good time to visit Vail?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Vail (39 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days (judged by temperature only). The best months are June and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: Vail (USC00058575), 1.1 mi E of the city center, 8,304 ft (125 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Dillon 1 E (USC00052281), 18 mi E of the city center, 9,065 ft (886 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: humidity and wind by hour, cloud cover and daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).