New York City, NY weather in March
In March, New York City sees highs around 50°F and lows around 36°F: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Rain or snow falls on about 11 days. Snowfall averages about 5.0 in.
- Normal high
- 50°F
- Normal low
- 36°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.0 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 45°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 32°F | 40°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:29 am / 5:46 pm | 6:40 am / 7:19 pm |
| Daylight | 11.3 h | 12.6 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 am38°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 am40°Fdew point 27°F
- Noon45°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm47°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm45°Fdew point 27°F
- 9 pm43°Fdew point 28°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from New York Laguardia Airport (8 mi away); average wind 13 mph; clear or few clouds in 52% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 43%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in8 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below11 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more3 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 4.3 in; a dry March brings about 3.4 in and a wet one about 5.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 5.0 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 59°F
- Coolest March2015: average high 45°F
- Wettest March2010: 10.7 in
- Driest March2006: 0.8 in
- Highest reading86°F (March 31, 1998)
- Lowest reading11°F (March 6, 2007)
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 | 42°F | 50°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 36°F | 46°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Daylight | 10.7 h | 12.0 h | 13.3 h |
Highs change by +8°F from February and +12°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Washington, DC204 mi · high 57°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Worcester, MA156 mi · high 43°F · 12 wet days
How New York City ranks in March
- Normal high269th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 10 in New York
- Wet days291st driest of 378
- Comfortable days255th most of 339
What to pack for New York City in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 36°F, highs near 50°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
Frost in March
The last spring frost typically comes around Mar 30; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 9. All frost dates for New York City.
Heating and cooling
March has 688 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 New York City in March?
The normal high is 50°F and the normal low is 36°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 11°F (most recently on March 6, 2007).
Does it rain a lot in New York City in March?
About 11 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.3 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2010 (10.7 in); the driest was in 2006 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in New York City in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 5.0 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is March a good time to visit New York City?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for New York City (46 out of 100). It has about 3 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: New York Cntrl Pk Twr (USW00094728), 4.9 mi NNE of the city center, 130 ft (95 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: New York Laguardia Airport (USW00014732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Teterboro Airport (USW00094741), 9.8 mi NNW of the city center, 9 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: La Guardia Airport (725030-14732), 8.0 mi NE of the city center, 10 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.