Minneapolis, MN weather in March
Minneapolis is chilly in March, with some rain and some snow: highs average 42°F and nights drop to about 25°F. Expect about 9 wet days. Snowfall averages about 9.0 in.
- Normal high
- 42°F
- Normal low
- 25°F
- Wet days
- 9
- 1.7 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.0 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 34°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 28% | 32% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:50 am / 6:00 pm | 6:55 am / 7:39 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 am27°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 22°F
- Noon37°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm40°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm38°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 23°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Minneapolis/St Paul Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 32% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 55%.
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 more13 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 1.7 in; a dry March brings about 1.2 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 9.0 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 58°F
- Coolest March2002: average high 32°F
- Wettest March1998: 4.6 in
- Driest March1994: 0.3 in
- Highest reading81°F (March 26, 2007)
- Lowest reading-15°F (March 2, 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 | 42°F | 57°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 25°F | 38°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 9 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 11.9 h | 13.5 h |
Highs change by +13°F from February and +15°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Cedar Rapids, IA221 mi · high 49°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Duluth, MN136 mi · high 36°F · 7 wet days
How Minneapolis ranks in March
- Normal high350th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 3 in Minnesota
- Wet days196th driest of 378
- Comfortable days289th most of 339
What to pack for Minneapolis in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 25°F, highs near 42°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 9 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 24 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 983 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Minneapolis in March?
The normal high is 42°F and the normal low is 25°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -15°F (March 2, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Minneapolis in March?
About 9 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.7 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (4.6 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.3 in).
Does it snow in Minneapolis in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 9.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is March a good time to visit Minneapolis?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Minneapolis (41 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are May and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Minneapolis/St Paul Airport (USW00014922), 6.9 mi SSE of the city center, 872 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall: New Hope (USC00215838), 6.0 mi WNW of the city center, 910 ft (80 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Lower St Anthony Falls (USC00214884), 0.8 mi E of the city center, 754 ft (76 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport (726580-14922), 6.8 mi SSE of the city center, 835 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.