Chesapeake, VA weather in March
Chesapeake is cool in March, with frequent rain: highs average 60°F and nights drop to about 41°F. There are about 11 days with rain.
- Normal high
- 60°F
- Normal low
- 41°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 3.7 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 56°F | 65°F |
| Normal low | 38°F | 45°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 34% | 34% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:35 am / 5:59 pm | 6:52 am / 7:26 pm |
| Daylight | 11.4 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 am45°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 am50°Fdew point 37°F
- Noon54°Fdew point 37°F
- 3 pm56°Fdew point 37°F
- 6 pm53°Fdew point 37°F
- 9 pm49°Fdew point 38°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Norfolk Intl Airport (7 mi away); average wind 10 mph; clear or few clouds in 54% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 39%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F9 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 snow11 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in7 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below4 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 3.7 in; a dry March brings about 2.6 in and a wet one about 4.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 3 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 0.4 in.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 69°F
- Coolest March2013: average high 53°F
- Wettest March1994: 10.4 in
- Driest March2006: 0.5 in
- Highest reading88°F (March 20, 2020)
- Lowest reading18°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 | 53°F | 60°F | 70°F |
| Normal low | 35°F | 41°F | 50°F |
| Wet days | 9 | 11 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 5 | 9 | 13 |
| Daylight | 10.8 h | 12.0 h | 13.2 h |
Highs change by +7°F from February and +10°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Wilmington, NC202 mi · high 67°F · 10 wet days
- Drier: Raleigh, NC150 mi · high 63°F · 8 wet days
- Cooler: Ocean City, MD123 mi · high 52°F · 11 wet days
How Chesapeake ranks in March
- Normal high191st warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Virginia
- Wet days281st driest of 378
- Comfortable days173rd most of 339
What to pack for Chesapeake in March
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 11 days
Frost in March
The last spring frost typically comes around Mar 17; in 1 year in 10 it comes after Mar 31. All frost dates for Chesapeake.
Heating and cooling
March has 453 heating degree days and 9 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 9% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Chesapeake in March?
The normal high is 60°F and the normal low is 41°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was 18°F (most recently on March 7, 2015).
Does it rain a lot in Chesapeake in March?
About 11 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.7 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1994 (10.4 in); the driest was in 2006 (0.5 in).
Does it snow in Chesapeake in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 0.4 in.
Is March a good time to visit Chesapeake?
March ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Chesapeake (58 out of 100). It has about 9 comfortable days. The best months are April, May and October.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Norfolk Intl Airport (USW00013737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 30 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snow depth: Suffolk Lake Kilby (USC00448192), 19 mi WSW of the city center, 22 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Norfolk International Airport (723080-13737), 7.4 mi NE of the city center, 11 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.