Galena, IL weather in March
Galena is chilly in March, with some rain and some snow: highs average 46°F and nights drop to about 26°F. Rain or snow falls on about 9 days. Snowfall averages about 5.1 in.
- Normal high
- 46°F
- Normal low
- 26°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 2.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.1 in
- snow on the ground 6 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 39°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 32°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:36 am / 5:51 pm | 6:45 am / 7:26 pm |
| Daylight | 11.2 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 am29°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am34°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon40°Fdew point 27°F
- 3 pm42°Fdew point 27°F
- 6 pm39°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 pm35°Fdew point 27°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Dubuque Rgnl Airport (14 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 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 snow9 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below24 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more6 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 2.3 in; a dry March brings about 1.2 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 5.1 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 62°F
- Coolest March2013: average high 37°F
- Wettest March1991: 5.3 in
- Driest March1994: 0.7 in
- Highest reading83°F (March 22, 2012)
- Lowest reading-23°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 | 15°F | 26°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 9 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 2 | 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, IL127 mi · high 51°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Rochester, MN151 mi · high 40°F · 10 wet days
How Galena ranks in March
- Normal high313th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Illinois
- Wet days183rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days263rd most of 339
What to pack for Galena in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 26°F, highs near 46°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – about 5.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 900 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 Galena in March?
The normal high is 46°F and the normal low is 26°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -23°F (March 1, 2015).
Does it rain a lot in Galena in March?
About 9 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.3 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (5.3 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.7 in).
Does it snow in Galena in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 5.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 6 days.
Is March a good time to visit Galena?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Galena (44 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and frost dates: Bellevue L&D 12 (USC00130608), 11 mi S of the city center, 603 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall and snow depth: Galena (USC00113312), 2.5 mi ESE of the city center, 822 ft (190 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Dubuque Rgnl Airport (USW00094908), 14 mi W of the city center, 1,056 ft (424 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Dubuque Regional Airport (725470-94908), 14 mi W of the city center, 1,040 ft (408 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).