Missoula, MT weather in March
Missoula is chilly in March, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 48°F and nights drop to about 27°F. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 5.0 in.
- Normal high
- 48°F
- Normal low
- 27°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 0.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.0 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 42°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 37% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:15 am / 6:21 pm | 7:16 am / 8:03 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 (Mountain Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am30°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am33°Fdew point 26°F
- Noon41°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm46°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm44°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm37°Fdew point 27°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Missoula Intl Airport (6 mi away); average wind 6 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 0.9 in; a dry March brings about 0.6 in and a wet one about 1.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 5.0 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20201992: average high 58°F
- Coolest March2002: average high 39°F
- Wettest March2017: 2.0 in
- Driest March2020: 0.2 in
- Highest reading78°F (March 30, 2004)
- Lowest reading-10°F (March 5, 2019)
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 | 37°F | 48°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 21°F | 27°F | 32°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 11.9 h | 13.6 h |
Highs change by +11°F from February and +8°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Boise, ID249 mi · high 56°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Great Falls, MT134 mi · high 46°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Big Sky, MT167 mi · high 42°F · 12 wet days
How Missoula ranks in March
- Normal high288th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 6 in Montana
- Wet days305th driest of 378
- Comfortable days298th most of 339
What to pack for Missoula in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 48°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 5.0 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 857 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 11% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Missoula in March?
The normal high is 48°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -10°F (March 5, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Missoula in March?
About 11 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.9 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2017 (2.0 in); the driest was in 2020 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Missoula in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 5.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is March a good time to visit Missoula?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Missoula (48 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Missoula Intl Airport (USW00024153), 5.7 mi NW of the city center, 3,192 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Missoula 2 Ne (USC00245735), 2.2 mi NE of the city center, 3,420 ft (212 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Missoula International Airport (727730-24153), 5.8 mi NW of the city center, 3,195 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).