Milwaukee, WI weather in March
Milwaukee is chilly in March, with frequent rain and some snow: highs average 44°F and nights drop to about 29°F. Expect about 11 wet days. Snowfall averages about 6.7 in.
- Normal high
- 44°F
- Normal low
- 29°F
- Wet days
- 11
- 2.2 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.7 in
- snow on the ground 8 days
How March changes from start to finish
| March 1 | March 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 39°F | 49°F |
| Normal low | 24°F | 33°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 35% | 37% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:27 am / 5:40 pm | 6:35 am / 7:16 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 am31°Fdew point 24°F
- 9 am36°Fdew point 25°F
- Noon39°Fdew point 26°F
- 3 pm40°Fdew point 26°F
- 6 pm37°Fdew point 26°F
- 9 pm35°Fdew point 26°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (6 mi away); average wind 11 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F2 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph0 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 in5 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below21 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more8 of 31
Average days per March, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in March
Normal precipitation is 2.2 in; a dry March brings about 1.1 in and a wet one about 3.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 6.7 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How March varies from year to year
- Warmest March, 1991-20202012: average high 58°F
- Coolest March2013: average high 36°F
- Wettest March1991: 4.1 in
- Driest March1997: 0.6 in
- Highest reading84°F (March 21, 2012)
- Lowest reading-6°F (March 4, 2002)
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 | 34°F | 44°F | 55°F |
| Normal low | 20°F | 29°F | 38°F |
| Wet days | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Daylight | 10.5 h | 11.9 h | 13.4 h |
Highs change by +10°F from February and +11°F into April.
Nearby alternatives in March
- Warmer: Davenport, IA172 mi · high 50°F · 10 wet days
- Cooler: Sister Bay, WI153 mi · high 36°F · 8 wet days
How Milwaukee ranks in March
- Normal high330th warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 5 in Wisconsin
- Wet days266th driest of 378
- Comfortable days288th most of 339
What to pack for Milwaukee in March
- A warm jacket – lows near 29°F, highs near 44°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 11 days
- Waterproof boots – about 6.7 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 21 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
March has 886 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 Milwaukee in March?
The normal high is 44°F and the normal low is 29°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest March reading was -6°F (March 4, 2002).
Does it rain a lot in Milwaukee in March?
About 11 days in March have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 2.2 in. The wettest March in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (4.1 in); the driest was in 1997 (0.6 in).
Does it snow in Milwaukee in March?
Yes. Normal snowfall in March is 6.7 in, and snow covers the ground on about 8 days.
Is March a good time to visit Milwaukee?
March ranks 8th of 12 months on our comfort score for Milwaukee (41 out of 100). It has about 2 comfortable days. The best months are May, June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates and humidity and wind by hour: Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (USW00014839), 5.8 mi S of the city center, 670 ft (55 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: General Mitchell International Airport (726400-14839), 5.8 mi S of the city center, 667 ft (52 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).