Washington, DC weather in March
March in Washington: cool, with frequent rain. Highs 57°F, lows 39°F, about 11 wet days and about 2.0 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 39°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.0 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 52°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 43°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:40 am / 6:00 pm | 6:54 am / 7:30 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 am41°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 am45°Fdew point 31°F
- Noon51°Fdew point 31°F
- 3 pm54°Fdew point 31°F
- 6 pm51°Fdew point 31°F
- 9 pm47°Fdew point 32°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Washington Reagan Airport (3 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 44% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 46%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F7 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 below8 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 3.5 in; a dry March brings about 2.4 in and a wet one about 4.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.0 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 66°F
- Coolest March1993: average high 50°F
- Wettest March1994: 8.4 in
- Driest March2006: 0.05 in
- Highest reading87°F (March 30, 1998)
- Lowest reading14°F (March 4, 2014)
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 | 57°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 39°F | 48°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 7 | 14 |
| Daylight | 10.8 h | 12.0 h | 13.2 h |
Highs change by +9°F from February and +11°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Durham, NC225 mi · high 63°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Raleigh, NC233 mi · high 63°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Gettysburg, PA65 mi · high 50°F · 10 wet days
How Washington ranks in March
- Normal high218th warmest of 378 cities
- Wet days283rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days201st most of 339
What to pack for Washington in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 39°F, highs near 57°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
Frost in March
The last spring frost typically comes around Mar 24; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 6. All frost dates for Washington.
Heating and cooling
March has 544 heating degree days and 3 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 10% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Washington in March?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 39°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 14°F (most recently on March 4, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Washington in March?
About 11 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.5 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1994 (8.5 in); the driest was in 2006 (0.05 in).
Does it snow in Washington in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 2.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is March a good time to visit Washington?
March ranks 5th of 12 months on our comfort score for Washington (55 out of 100). It has about 7 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Washington Reagan Airport (USW00013743), 3.2 mi S of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Camp Springs Andrews AFB (USW00013705), 11 mi ESE of the city center, 282 ft (258 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Ronald Reagan Washington Natl Airport (724050-13743), 3.3 mi S of the city center, 13 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.