March is one of the cooler months of the year in San Francisco, with average highs near 15.6°C and lows around 7.8°C (mean 11.7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 92 mm of rainfall and 82% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in San Francisco. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in San Francisco was 2015 — when the month averaged 14.1°C — while the coldest was 2006 at 9.3°C. Typical March days reach 15.6°C with nights near 7.8°C. The long-term March temperature trend is broadly flat.
March is a relatively wet time of year in San Francisco, averaging 92 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 1983 with 268 mm, while the driest was 1988 at 1 mm.
Relative humidity in San Francisco during March averages 82%. The most humid March was 1993 at 86%, and the least humid was 2021 at 74%.
March receives about 4.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in San Francisco. The sunniest March was 1988 at 5.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2011 at 3.9.
Average wind speed in San Francisco during March is 2.4 m/s. The windiest March was 1991 at 3.1 m/s, while the calmest was 2015 at 1.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 11.4°C | 11.6°C | 11.8°C | 11.9°C | 11.4°C | 0°C |
| Avg High | 15.2°C | 15.5°C | 15.9°C | 15.8°C | 15.2°C | 0°C |
| Avg Low | 7.7°C | 7.7°C | 7.7°C | 8.1°C | 7.5°C | -0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 123 mm | 93 mm | 65 mm | 101 mm | 72 mm | -51 mm |
March temperatures in San Francisco have risen by about 0.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
March has ranged from a record low of 1.3°C (2009) to a record high of 25.6°C (2021).
Rainfall in March is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 92 mm, with a wettest year of 268 mm.
A quieter season to visit San Francisco
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of September and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting San Francisco. That said, March — with days averaging 15.6°C and nights around 7.8°C (mean 11.7°C) and higher rainfall (92 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15.3°C | 11.6°C | 8.0°C | 25.1°C | 4.7°C | 53 mm | 84% | 2.6 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2024 | 15.2°C | 11.8°C | 8.5°C | 19.0°C | 6.5°C | 83 mm | 84% | 2.7 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2023 | 12.7°C | 9.5°C | 6.2°C | 17.0°C | 2.7°C | 195 mm | 83% | 2.7 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2022 | 16.9°C | 12.4°C | 7.9°C | 24.2°C | 5.1°C | 20 mm | 80% | 2.3 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2021 | 15.9°C | 11.3°C | 6.6°C | 25.6°C | 4.6°C | 38 mm | 74% | 2.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2020 | 15.4°C | 11.6°C | 7.7°C | 23.5°C | 4.8°C | 42 mm | 77% | 2.1 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2019 | 15.0°C | 11.5°C | 8.1°C | 21.2°C | 5.3°C | 113 mm | 82% | 2.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2018 | 15.3°C | 11.4°C | 7.5°C | 24.7°C | 3.0°C | 127 mm | 79% | 2.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2017 | 16.5°C | 12.7°C | 8.9°C | 23.3°C | 4.4°C | 75 mm | 84% | 2.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2016 | 16.3°C | 12.8°C | 9.3°C | 22.1°C | 6.5°C | 162 mm | 85% | 2.7 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2015 🔥 | 18.5°C | 14.1°C | 9.7°C | 24.6°C | 5.4°C | 7 mm | 81% | 1.8 m/s | 5 |
| 2014 | 17.4°C | 13.3°C | 9.2°C | 23.2°C | 6.5°C | 69 mm | 80% | 2.1 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2013 | 16.0°C | 11.6°C | 7.3°C | 21.0°C | 4.5°C | 27 mm | 82% | 2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2012 | 14.0°C | 10.3°C | 6.7°C | 20.6°C | 3.4°C | 164 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2011 | 13.8°C | 10.7°C | 7.6°C | 22.8°C | 5.6°C | 196 mm | 86% | 2.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2010 | 15.0°C | 11.0°C | 7.0°C | 22.4°C | 3.7°C | 72 mm | 81% | 2.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2009 | 15.2°C | 11.1°C | 7.1°C | 20.3°C | 1.3°C | 69 mm | 82% | 2.5 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2008 | 15.1°C | 10.8°C | 6.5°C | 19.3°C | 3.4°C | 6 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2007 | 17.5°C | 12.7°C | 7.8°C | 24.2°C | 3.7°C | 9 mm | 81% | 2 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2006 ❄️ | 12.1°C | 9.3°C | 6.5°C | 15.6°C | 3.4°C | 205 mm | 84% | 2.6 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2005 | 16.8°C | 13.0°C | 9.1°C | 23.7°C | 5.5°C | 117 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2004 | 18.3°C | 13.8°C | 9.2°C | 23.3°C | 5.7°C | 25 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 5 |
| 2003 | 16.2°C | 12.2°C | 8.2°C | 22.2°C | 5.1°C | 55 mm | 84% | 2.4 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2002 | 15.1°C | 10.8°C | 6.6°C | 22.4°C | 2.2°C | 61 mm | 79% | 2.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2001 | 16.9°C | 12.6°C | 8.3°C | 22.9°C | 5.0°C | 51 mm | 84% | 2.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2000 | 15.4°C | 11.3°C | 7.2°C | 20.3°C | 5.7°C | 53 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1999 | 12.9°C | 9.5°C | 6.0°C | 16.3°C | 3.4°C | 74 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1998 | 15.3°C | 11.6°C | 7.8°C | 19.9°C | 3.9°C | 73 mm | 83% | 2.2 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1997 | 16.8°C | 12.3°C | 7.7°C | 22.6°C | 2.9°C | 20 mm | 81% | 2 m/s | 5 |
| 1996 | 16.4°C | 12.3°C | 8.2°C | 21.5°C | 3.9°C | 58 mm | 81% | 2.2 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1995 | 14.6°C | 11.2°C | 7.7°C | 18.8°C | 3.7°C | 259 mm | 83% | 2.7 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1994 | 16.7°C | 12.3°C | 7.8°C | 20.5°C | 4.7°C | 11 mm | 80% | 2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1993 | 16.6°C | 12.8°C | 9.0°C | 20.8°C | 6.7°C | 70 mm | 86% | 1.9 m/s | 4 |
| 1992 | 16.6°C | 13.0°C | 9.5°C | 20.8°C | 7.5°C | 94 mm | 84% | 2 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1991 | 13.3°C | 9.9°C | 6.4°C | 18.7°C | 3.0°C | 242 mm | 83% | 3.1 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1990 | 15.8°C | 11.4°C | 7.1°C | 20.1°C | 3.7°C | 31 mm | 83% | 2.1 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1989 | 14.3°C | 11.2°C | 8.1°C | 18.1°C | 2.7°C | 166 mm | 85% | 2.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1988 | 17.5°C | 12.2°C | 7.0°C | 22.9°C | 3.9°C | 1 mm | 74% | 2.5 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1987 | 15.4°C | 11.4°C | 7.4°C | 22.7°C | 4.2°C | 91 mm | 79% | 2.5 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1986 | 17.1°C | 13.2°C | 9.3°C | 21.8°C | 5.1°C | 149 mm | 84% | 2.4 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1985 | 13.9°C | 9.9°C | 5.9°C | 20.0°C | 2.4°C | 104 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1984 | 16.2°C | 12.1°C | 8.1°C | 20.1°C | 4.8°C | 43 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1983 🌧️ | 14.2°C | 11.7°C | 9.2°C | 16.7°C | 6.1°C | 268 mm | 86% | 2.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 13.4°C | 10.0°C | 6.7°C | 17.8°C | 2.4°C | 184 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 15.1°C | 11.2°C | 7.2°C | 19.0°C | 4.4°C | 105 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded March data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in March is around 15.6°C with lows near 7.8°C (mean 11.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 92 mm of rainfall in San Francisco, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 268 mm in 1983.
The hottest March reached 25.6°C in 2021. The coldest dipped to 1.3°C in 2009.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have risen by about 0.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 14.6°C to 15.2°C and overnight lows from 7.4°C to 7.4°C over the same span.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in San Francisco and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 15.6°C daytime highs and 7.8°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 4th coolest month in San Francisco, averaging 11.7°C.
For March in San Francisco, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 15.6°C and lows of 7.8°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in March averages 82% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in March is 2.4 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 3.1 m/s (1991).
The wettest March on record was 1983 with 268 mm. On average, March sees 92 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in San Francisco behaves each March, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for March specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
