Mackinac Island, MI weather in March
Mackinac Island is cold and snowy in March: highs average 38°F and nights drop to about 18°F. Expect about 10 wet days. Snowfall averages about 11.6 in. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 38°F
- Normal low
- 18°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 11.6 in
- snow on the ground 21 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 33°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 24°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:16 am / 6:24 pm | 7:20 am / 8:05 pm |
| Daylight | 11.1 h | 12.8 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 am22°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 am26°Fdew point 20°F
- Noon33°Fdew point 21°F
- 3 pm36°Fdew point 22°F
- 6 pm34°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 pm28°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Pellston Rgnl Airport (21 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 snow10 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more21 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 0.8 in and a wet one about 2.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 11.6 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 50°F
- Coolest March2014: average high 31°F
- Wettest March1991: 5.3 in
- Driest March2010: 0.2 in
- Highest reading86°F (March 22, 2012)
- Lowest reading-20°F (March 3, 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 | 29°F | 38°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 10°F | 18°F | 30°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 11.9 h | 13.6 h |
Highs change by +9°F from February and +11°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Grand Rapids, MI206 mi · high 45°F · 12 wet days
How Mackinac Island ranks in March
- Normal high368th warmest of 378 cities; 8th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days243rd driest of 378
- Comfortable days322nd most of 339
What to pack for Mackinac Island in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 18°F, highs near 38°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 21 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 1155 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Mackinac Island in March?
The normal high is 38°F and the normal low is 18°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -20°F (most recently on March 3, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Mackinac Island 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 1991 (5.3 in); the driest was in 2010 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Mackinac Island in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 11.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 21 days.
Is March a good time to visit Mackinac Island?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Mackinac Island (36 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and snow depth: Cheboygan (USC00201492), 15 mi SSE of the city center, 588 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: St Ignace Mackinac Br (USC00207274), 5.0 mi W of the city center, 595 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Pellston Rgnl Airport (USW00014841), 21 mi SSW of the city center, 705 ft (107 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Pellston Regional Arpt Of Emmet County Arpt (727347-14841), 21 mi SSW of the city center, 706 ft (108 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).