Traverse City, MI weather in March
In March, Traverse City sees highs around 41°F and lows around 23°F: cold and snowy. Rain or snow falls on about 10 days. Snowfall averages about 14.3 in. Pack for snow.
- Normal high
- 41°F
- Normal low
- 23°F
- Wet days
- 10
- 1.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 14.3 in
- snow on the ground 20 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 36°F | 47°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 28°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 36% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:19 am / 6:29 pm | 7:24 am / 8:08 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 (Eastern Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am27°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 23°F
- Noon36°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm38°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm32°Fdew point 23°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (2 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more20 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 1.6 in; a dry March brings about 0.9 in and a wet one about 2.0 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 14.3 in, with about 5 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 57°F
- Coolest March2014: average high 33°F
- Wettest March2016: 3.8 in
- Driest March1999: 0.1 in
- Highest reading87°F (March 21, 2012)
- Lowest reading-18°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 | 31°F | 41°F | 54°F |
| Normal low | 16°F | 23°F | 33°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 11.9 h | 13.5 h |
Highs change by +10°F from February and +13°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Ann Arbor, MI197 mi · high 46°F · 14 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI79 mi · high 36°F · 8 wet days
How Traverse City ranks in March
- Normal high357th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 8 in Michigan
- Wet days241st driest of 378
- Comfortable days308th most of 339
What to pack for Traverse City in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 23°F, highs near 41°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 10 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 20 days
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 1018 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Traverse City in March?
The normal high is 41°F and the normal low is 23°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -18°F (March 3, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Traverse City in March?
About 10 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.6 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (3.8 in); the driest was in 1999 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Traverse City in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 14.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 20 days.
Is March a good time to visit Traverse City?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Traverse City (40 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Traverse City Cherry Cptl Airport (USW00014850), 2.4 mi SE of the city center, 618 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: Maple City 1E (USC00205097), 12 mi WNW of the city center, 799 ft (203 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Traverse City Munson (USC00208249), 1.2 mi W of the city center, 635 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Cherry Capital Airport (726387-14850), 3.1 mi ESE of the city center, 608 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).