Bismarck, ND weather in March
In March, Bismarck sees highs around 41°F and lows around 19°F: cold, with some rain and some snow. There are about 8 days with rain or snow. Snowfall averages about 8.5 in.
- Normal high
- 41°F
- Normal low
- 19°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 0.8 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.5 in
- snow on the ground 13 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 33°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 25°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 26% | 24% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:22 am / 6:28 pm | 7:24 am / 8:10 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 (Central Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am23°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 am26°Fdew point 20°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 22°F
- 3 pm38°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm30°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Bismarck (3 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 51% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 44%.
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 snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 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 0.8 in; a dry March brings about 0.5 in and a wet one about 1.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.5 in, with about 2 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 29°F
- Wettest March2009: 2.7 in
- Driest March2001: 0.2 in
- Highest reading81°F (March 16, 2012)
- Lowest reading-28°F (March 8, 1995)
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 | 28°F | 41°F | 56°F |
| Normal low | 7°F | 19°F | 30°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 11.9 h | 13.6 h |
Highs change by +13°F from February and +15°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Rapid City, SD223 mi · high 48°F · 7 wet days
- Cooler: Grand Forks, ND192 mi · high 34°F · 7 wet days
How Bismarck ranks in March
- Normal high358th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days114th driest of 378
- Comfortable days274th most of 339
What to pack for Bismarck in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 19°F, highs near 41°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 13 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 1084 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 Bismarck in March?
The normal high is 41°F and the normal low is 19°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -28°F (March 8, 1995).
Does it rain a lot in Bismarck in March?
About 8 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2009 (2.7 in); the driest was in 2001 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Bismarck in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 8.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 13 days.
Is March a good time to visit Bismarck?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bismarck (43 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Bismarck (USW00024011), 2.8 mi SSE of the city center, 1,658 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Bismarck Municipal Airport (727640-24011), 2.2 mi SE of the city center, 1,651 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.