Sioux Falls, SD weather in March
Sioux Falls is chilly in March, with some rain and some snow: highs average 45°F and nights drop to about 24°F. Expect about 8 wet days. Snowfall averages about 7.2 in.
- Normal high
- 45°F
- Normal low
- 24°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 1.6 in total
- Snowfall
- 7.2 in
- snow on the ground 10 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 37°F | 53°F |
| Normal low | 18°F | 30°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 26% | 29% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:03 am / 6:15 pm | 7:10 am / 7:51 pm |
| Daylight | 11.2 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 (Central Time).
A typical March day
- 6 am27°Fdew point 22°F
- 9 am31°Fdew point 24°F
- Noon38°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm42°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm39°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm33°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Sioux Falls (3 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 45%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F3 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 in4 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below25 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more10 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 1.6 in; a dry March brings about 0.8 in and a wet one about 2.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 7.2 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 64°F
- Coolest March2002: average high 33°F
- Wettest March2007: 5.0 in
- Driest March1994: 0.2 in
- Highest reading85°F (March 18, 2012)
- Lowest reading-17°F (March 3, 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 | 32°F | 45°F | 59°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 24°F | 36°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Daylight | 10.5 h | 11.9 h | 13.4 h |
Highs change by +13°F from February and +14°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Omaha, NE163 mi · high 52°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Rochester, MN213 mi · high 40°F · 10 wet days
How Sioux Falls ranks in March
- Normal high321st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days157th driest of 378
- Comfortable days251st most of 339
What to pack for Sioux Falls in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 24°F, highs near 45°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 8 days
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 10 days
- A hat and gloves – about 25 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 942 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Sioux Falls in March?
The normal high is 45°F and the normal low is 24°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -17°F (March 3, 2019).
Does it rain a lot in Sioux Falls in March?
About 8 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.6 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 2007 (5.0 in); the driest was in 1994 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Sioux Falls in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 7.2 in, and snow covers the ground on about 10 days.
Is March a good time to visit Sioux Falls?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Sioux Falls (45 out of 100). It has about 3 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: Sioux Falls (USW00014944), 3.0 mi NNW of the city center, 1,430 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Joe Foss Field Airport (726510-14944), 3.3 mi NW of the city center, 1,419 ft (54 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.