Wilmington, DE weather in March
Wilmington is chilly in March, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 53°F and nights drop to about 34°F. There are about 11 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 3.1 in.
- Normal high
- 53°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.1 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 48°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 38°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:35 am / 5:53 pm | 6:47 am / 7:24 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am38°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 am42°Fdew point 29°F
- Noon48°Fdew point 29°F
- 3 pm51°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm48°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm44°Fdew point 29°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (19 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 57% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F4 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below14 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 4.2 in; a dry March brings about 3.4 in and a wet one about 4.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 3.1 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 61°F
- Coolest March1993: average high 47°F
- Wettest March2000: 9.2 in
- Driest March2006: 0.3 in
- Highest reading86°F (March 30, 1998)
- Lowest reading5°F (March 7, 2015)
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 | 44°F | 53°F | 64°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 34°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| Daylight | 10.7 h | 12.0 h | 13.3 h |
Highs change by +9°F from February and +11°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Williamsburg, VA182 mi · high 60°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Bridgeport, CT157 mi · high 47°F · 11 wet days
How Wilmington ranks in March
- Normal high250th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 2 in Delaware
- Wet days295th driest of 378
- Comfortable days229th most of 339
What to pack for Wilmington in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 53°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 3.1 in of snow in a typical year
Heating and cooling
March has 677 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Wilmington in March?
The normal high is 53°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 5°F (most recently on March 7, 2015).
Does it rain a lot in Wilmington in March?
About 11 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.2 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2000 (9.2 in); the driest was in 2006 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Wilmington in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 3.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is March a good time to visit Wilmington?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Wilmington (49 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Wilmington New Castle Co Airport (USW00013781), 5.8 mi SSW of the city center, 79 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Wilmington Porter Rsch (USC00079605), 1.9 mi N of the city center, 270 ft (179 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 10 ft (81 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Millville Muni Airport (USW00013735), 37 mi SE of the city center, 70 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 19 mi ENE of the city center, 7 ft (84 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.