Philadelphia, PA weather in March
March in Philadelphia: chilly, with frequent rain and some snow. Highs 53°F, lows 34°F, about 11 wet days and about 3.6 in of snow.
- Normal high
- 53°F
- Normal low
- 34°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 4.0 in total
- Snowfall
- 3.6 in
- snow on the ground 2 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 48°F | 58°F |
| Normal low | 30°F | 39°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 36% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:33 am / 5:52 pm | 6:46 am / 7:23 pm |
| Daylight | 11.3 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 am38°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 am42°Fdew point 29°F
- Noon48°Fdew point 29°F
- 3 pm51°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm48°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm44°Fdew point 29°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Philadelphia Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 54% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 42%.
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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below12 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more2 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 3.6 in and a wet one about 4.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 3.6 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 62°F
- Coolest March1993: average high 47°F
- Wettest March2010: 7.3 in
- Driest March2012: 0.8 in
- Highest reading86°F (March 30, 1998)
- Lowest reading11°F (March 7, 2015)
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 | 44°F | 53°F | 65°F |
| Normal low | 28°F | 34°F | 44°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 11 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 4 | 13 |
| Daylight | 10.7 h | 12.0 h | 13.3 h |
Highs change by +9°F from February and +12°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Williamsburg, VA203 mi · high 60°F · 11 wet days
- Cooler: Stamford, CT114 mi · high 48°F · 11 wet days
How Philadelphia ranks in March
- Normal high247th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in Pennsylvania
- Wet days280th driest of 378
- Comfortable days228th most of 339
What to pack for Philadelphia in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 34°F, highs near 53°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 3.6 in of snow in a typical year
Frost in March
The last spring frost typically comes around Mar 30; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Apr 12. All frost dates for Philadelphia.
Heating and cooling
March has 666 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 11% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Philadelphia in March?
The normal high is 53°F and the normal low is 34°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 11°F (most recently on March 7, 2015).
Does it rain a lot in Philadelphia in March?
About 11 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 2010 (7.3 in); the driest was in 2012 (0.8 in).
Does it snow in Philadelphia in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 3.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 2 days.
Is March a good time to visit Philadelphia?
March ranks 6th of 12 months on our comfort score for Philadelphia (50 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth and humidity and wind by hour: Philadelphia Intl Airport (USW00013739), 6.8 mi SSW of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Frost dates: Phila Franklin Inst (USC00366886), 0.6 mi NW of the city center, 60 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Philadelphia Ne Airport (USW00094732), 12 mi NE of the city center, 100 ft (65 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Philadelphia International Airport (724080-13739), 6.4 mi SSW of the city center, 7 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.