Portland, OR weather in March
Expect cool weather with rain on most days in Portland in March, with highs near 56°F and lows near 41°F. Rain falls on about 18 days. Pack rain gear.
- Normal high
- 56°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 18
- 4.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 53°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 42°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 57% | 58% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:48 am / 5:57 pm | 6:52 am / 7:37 pm |
| Daylight | 11.1 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 (Pacific Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am42°Fdew point 38°F
- 9 am46°Fdew point 39°F
- Noon51°Fdew point 39°F
- 3 pm54°Fdew point 39°F
- 6 pm52°Fdew point 39°F
- 9 pm47°Fdew point 39°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Portland Intl Airport (6 mi away); average wind 8 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F4 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 snow18 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in11 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below1 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 4.0 in; a dry March brings about 3.0 in and a wet one about 4.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.1 in.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20201992: average high 64°F
- Coolest March2009: average high 51°F
- Wettest March2012: 7.9 in
- Driest March2013: 1.5 in
- Highest reading79°F (March 27, 1994)
- Lowest reading27°F (March 4, 2019)
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 | 51°F | 56°F | 61°F |
| Normal low | 39°F | 41°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 16 | 18 | 17 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Daylight | 10.4 h | 11.9 h | 13.5 h |
Highs change by +5°F from February and +5°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Drier: Bend, OR121 mi · high 52°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Port Angeles, WA183 mi · high 50°F · 16 wet days
How Portland ranks in March
- Normal high224th warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 6 in Oregon
- Wet days370th driest of 378
- Comfortable days239th most of 339
What to pack for Portland in March
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 18 days
Frost in March
The last spring frost typically comes around Mar 13; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 1. All frost dates for Portland.
Heating and cooling
March has 516 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 11% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Portland in March?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 27°F (March 4, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Portland in March?
About 18 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 4.0 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2012 (7.9 in); the driest was in 2013 (1.5 in).
Does it snow in Portland in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 0.1 in.
Is March a good time to visit Portland?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Portland (48 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best month is June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature: Portland Kgw-Tv (USC00356749), 0.7 mi WSW of the city center, 159 ft (127 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Portland Intl Airport (USW00024229), 5.9 mi NE of the city center, 19 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Portland International Airport (726980-24229), 6.0 mi NNE of the city center, 22 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).