Raleigh, NC weather in March
Raleigh is cool in March, with some rain: highs average 63°F and nights drop to about 40°F. Rain falls on about 8 days. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 63°F
- Normal low
- 40°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 4.2 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 59°F | 67°F |
| Normal low | 36°F | 44°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 26% | 25% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:44 am / 6:09 pm | 7:02 am / 7:35 pm |
| Daylight | 11.4 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 am43°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 37°F
- Noon57°Fdew point 36°F
- 3 pm61°Fdew point 36°F
- 6 pm58°Fdew point 36°F
- 9 pm51°Fdew point 37°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (12 mi away); average wind 8 mph; clear or few clouds in 50% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 40%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F12 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 snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below7 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 4.2 in; a dry March brings about 3.1 in and a wet one about 5.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.3 in.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 72°F
- Coolest March1996: average high 55°F
- Wettest March1998: 7.4 in
- Driest March2006: 1.5 in
- Highest reading86°F (March 28, 2020)
- Lowest reading14°F (March 3, 2009)
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 | 55°F | 63°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 33°F | 40°F | 49°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 12 | 17 |
| Daylight | 10.9 h | 12.0 h | 13.1 h |
Highs change by +8°F from February and +9°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Columbia, SC183 mi · high 72°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Fayetteville, WV208 mi · high 52°F · 14 wet days
How Raleigh ranks in March
- Normal high180th warmest of 378 cities; 7th of 10 in North Carolina
- Wet days131st driest of 378
- Comfortable days142nd most of 339
What to pack for Raleigh in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 40°F, highs near 63°F
Frost in March
The last spring frost typically comes around Mar 28; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 12. All frost dates for Raleigh.
Heating and cooling
March has 431 heating degree days and 8 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Raleigh in March?
The normal high is 63°F and the normal low is 40°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 14°F (March 3, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Raleigh in March?
About 8 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.2 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (7.4 in); the driest was in 2006 (1.5 in).
Does it snow in Raleigh in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 0.3 in.
Is March a good time to visit Raleigh?
March ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Raleigh (62 out of 100). It has about 12 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Raleigh State Univ (USC00317079), 3.6 mi WNW of the city center, 400 ft (85 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Raleigh Durham Intl Airport (USW00013722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 416 ft (101 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Pope AFB (USW00013714), 46 mi SSW of the city center, 218 ft (97 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (723060-13722), 12 mi NW of the city center, 395 ft (80 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.