Rochester, NY weather in March
Rochester is chilly and snowy in March: highs average 44°F and nights drop to about 27°F. Rain or snow falls on about 15 days. Snowfall averages about 17.9 in. Expect snow on the ground at times.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 27°F
- Wet days
- 15
- 2.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 17.9 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 39°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 23°F | 31°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 54% | 48% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:46 am / 5:59 pm | 6:53 am / 7:35 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 am30°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 am34°Fdew point 25°F
- Noon38°Fdew point 25°F
- 3 pm40°Fdew point 25°F
- 6 pm38°Fdew point 25°F
- 9 pm34°Fdew point 25°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Rochester Gtr Intl Airport (4 mi away); average wind 10 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 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 snow15 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below23 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 2.5 in; a dry March brings about 1.8 in and a wet one about 3.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 17.9 in, with about 4 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 57°F
- Coolest March2001: average high 37°F
- Wettest March1991: 4.7 in
- Driest March2013: 0.8 in
- Highest reading83°F (March 31, 1998)
- Lowest reading-9°F (March 6, 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 | 35°F | 44°F | 57°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 27°F | 37°F |
| Wet days | 16 | 15 | 13 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| Daylight | 10.5 h | 11.9 h | 13.4 h |
Highs change by +9°F from February and +13°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Allentown, PA207 mi · high 51°F · 11 wet days
- Drier: Saratoga Springs, NY193 mi · high 45°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Lake Placid, NY197 mi · high 36°F · 13 wet days
How Rochester ranks in March
- Normal high336th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 10 in New York
- Wet days361st driest of 378
- Comfortable days273rd most of 339
What to pack for Rochester in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 27°F, highs near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 15 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 23 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 924 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 Rochester in March?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 27°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -9°F (March 6, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Rochester in March?
About 15 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.5 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (4.7 in); the driest was in 2013 (0.9 in).
Does it snow in Rochester in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 17.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is March a good time to visit Rochester?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rochester (40 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Rochester Gtr Intl Airport (USW00014768), 4.0 mi SW of the city center, 533 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Greater Rochester International Airport (725290-14768), 4.0 mi SW of the city center, 540 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).