Charleston, SC weather in March
Expect mild weather with some rain in Charleston in March, with highs near 66°F and lows near 52°F. Rain falls on about 8 days. Good for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 66°F
- Normal low
- 52°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 3.0 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 63°F | 69°F |
| Normal low | 49°F | 56°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 26% | 24% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:47 am / 6:16 pm | 7:08 am / 7:38 pm |
| Daylight | 11.5 h | 12.5 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 am51°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 am58°Fdew point 46°F
- Noon66°Fdew point 44°F
- 3 pm68°Fdew point 44°F
- 6 pm63°Fdew point 45°F
- 9 pm57°Fdew point 47°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Charleston Intl Airport (11 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 47% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 38%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F15 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph1 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 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in March
Normal precipitation is 3.0 in; a dry March brings about 1.7 in and a wet one about 4.3 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 72°F
- Coolest March1996: average high 61°F
- Wettest March1993: 6.6 in
- Driest March2004: 0.4 in
- Highest reading87°F (March 22, 2011)
- Lowest reading28°F (March 9, 1996)
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 | 60°F | 66°F | 72°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 52°F | 60°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 8 | 15 | 16 |
| Daylight | 11.0 h | 12.0 h | 13.0 h |
Highs change by +6°F from February and +6°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Savannah, GA83 mi · high 71°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Asheville, NC246 mi · high 59°F · 12 wet days
How Charleston ranks in March
- Normal high152nd warmest of 378 cities; 3rd of 5 in South Carolina
- Wet days132nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days92nd most of 339
Heating and cooling
March has 213 heating degree days and 21 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 6% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Charleston in March?
The normal high is 66°F and the normal low is 52°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 28°F (March 9, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Charleston in March?
About 8 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.0 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1993 (6.6 in); the driest was in 2004 (0.4 in).
Is March a good time to visit Charleston?
March ranks 2nd of 12 months on our comfort score for Charleston (67 out of 100). It has about 15 comfortable days. The best month is April.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Charleston City (USW00013782), 0.2 mi NNW of the city center, 10 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Charleston Intl Airport (USW00013880), 11 mi NW of the city center, 40 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Charleston AFB/International Airport (722080-13880), 11 mi NW of the city center, 39 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.