Grand Forks, ND weather in March
Expect cold weather with some rain and some snow in Grand Forks in March, with highs near 34°F and lows near 17°F. Rain or snow falls on about 7 days. Snowfall averages about 7.8 in. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 34°F
- Normal low
- 17°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.9 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.8 in
- snow on the ground 19 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 26°F | 43°F |
| Normal low | 9°F | 25°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 22% | 22% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:08 am / 6:12 pm | 7:08 am / 7:56 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 am20°Fdew point 17°F
- 9 am24°Fdew point 19°F
- Noon30°Fdew point 21°F
- 3 pm32°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm30°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm25°Fdew point 21°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Grand Forks Af (17 mi away); average wind 12 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below28 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more19 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 0.4 in and a wet one about 1.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.8 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 49°F
- Coolest March2013: average high 26°F
- Wettest March2007: 2.5 in
- Driest March1998: 0.08 in
- Highest reading74°F (March 19, 2012)
- Lowest reading-24°F (March 15, 1997)
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 | 20°F | 34°F | 52°F |
| Normal low | 3°F | 17°F | 31°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Daylight | 10.3 h | 11.9 h | 13.7 h |
Highs change by +14°F from February and +18°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Aberdeen, SD183 mi · high 42°F · 8 wet days
How Grand Forks ranks in March
- Normal high375th warmest of 378 cities; 4th of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days86th driest of 378
- Comfortable days323rd most of 339
What to pack for Grand Forks in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 17°F, highs near 34°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 19 days
- A hat and gloves – about 28 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 1229 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 13% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Grand Forks in March?
The normal high is 34°F and the normal low is 17°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -24°F (March 15, 1997).
Does it rain a lot in Grand Forks in March?
About 7 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 2007 (2.5 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.08 in).
Does it snow in Grand Forks in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 7.8 in, and snow covers the ground on about 19 days.
Is March a good time to visit Grand Forks?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Grand Forks (37 out of 100). It has almost no comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall and frost dates: Grand Forks Univ (NWS) (USC00323621), 3.0 mi W of the city center, 830 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Grand Forks Intl Airport (USW00014916), 7.1 mi W of the city center, 842 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Grand Forks Af (USW00094925), 17 mi W of the city center, 906 ft (76 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Grand Forks AFB Airport (727575-94925), 17 mi W of the city center, 913 ft (83 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).