Elgin, IL weather in March
In March, Elgin sees highs around 46°F and lows around 26°F: chilly, with some rain and some snow. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 3.7 in.
- Normal high
- 46°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 2.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.7 in
- snow on the ground 4 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 40°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 31% | 35% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:28 am / 5:42 pm | 6:37 am / 7:17 pm |
| Daylight | 11.3 h | 12.7 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am31°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 am37°Fdew point 28°F
- Noon43°Fdew point 28°F
- 3 pm45°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm41°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm37°Fdew point 28°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from West Chicago Dupage Airport (9 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 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 2.4 in; a dry March brings about 1.5 in and a wet one about 3.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 3.7 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 March2013: average high 38°F
- Wettest March2009: 5.1 in
- Driest March1996: 0.7 in
- Highest reading83°F (March 22, 2012)
- Lowest reading-9°F (March 1, 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 | 34°F | 46°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 17°F | 26°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 10 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Daylight | 10.6 h | 11.9 h | 13.4 h |
Highs change by +12°F from February and +13°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Peoria, IL115 mi · high 51°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Green Bay, WI172 mi · high 40°F · 10 wet days
How Elgin ranks in March
- Normal high309th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days214th driest of 378
- Comfortable days259th most of 339
What to pack for Elgin in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 46°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – about 3.7 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 894 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 Elgin in March?
The normal high is 46°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -9°F (March 1, 2015).
Does it rain a lot in Elgin in March?
About 10 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.4 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (5.1 in); the driest was in 1996 (0.7 in).
Does it snow in Elgin in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 3.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 4 days.
Is March a good time to visit Elgin?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Elgin (44 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Elgin (USC00112736), 1.8 mi N of the city center, 763 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: West Chicago Dupage Airport (USW00094892), 8.7 mi SSE of the city center, 754 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Chicago O'hare International Airport (725300-94846), 19 mi ESE of the city center, 672 ft (68 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).