March is one of the cooler months of the year in Washington, with average highs near 11.1°C and lows around 0.7°C (mean 5.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 94 mm of rainfall and 79% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Washington. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in Washington was 2012 — when the month averaged 11°C — while the coldest was 1984 at 2.3°C. Typical March days reach 11.1°C with nights near 0.7°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.5°C per decade.
March is about average for rainfall in Washington, averaging 94 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 1994 with 223 mm, while the driest was 2006 at 4 mm.
Relative humidity in Washington during March averages 79%. The most humid March was 1993 at 87%, and the least humid were 2006 and 2025 at 72%.
March receives about 4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Washington. The sunniest Marchs were 1987, 1988 and 2006, among others at 4.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 3.4.
Average wind speed in Washington during March is 3.3 m/s. The windiest March was 1999 at 3.9 m/s, while the calmest were 1990 and 1995 at 2.8 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 5.1°C | 5.2°C | 6.1°C | 5.7°C | 8.2°C | +3.1°C |
| Avg High | 10.3°C | 10.1°C | 11.5°C | 10.8°C | 13.8°C | +3.5°C |
| Avg Low | -0.1°C | 0.2°C | 0.7°C | 0.7°C | 2.6°C | +2.7°C |
| Avg Rain | 83 mm | 128 mm | 85 mm | 88 mm | 77 mm | -6 mm |
March temperatures in Washington have risen by about 3.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
March has ranged from a record low of -16.8°C (2015) to a record high of 26.7°C (1998).
Rainfall in March is about average for rainfall, averaging 94 mm, with a wettest year of 223 mm.
A quieter season to visit Washington
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and September tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Washington. That said, March — with days averaging 11.1°C and nights around 0.7°C (mean 5.9°C) and higher rainfall (94 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 | 15.1°C | 8.9°C | 2.6°C | 26.0°C | -6.1°C | 68 mm | 72% | 3.5 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2024 | 13.7°C | 8.4°C | 3.1°C | 23.0°C | -3.3°C | 132 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2023 | 12.5°C | 7.0°C | 1.5°C | 20.8°C | -4.3°C | 41 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2022 | 13.6°C | 8.0°C | 2.5°C | 23.6°C | -7.5°C | 70 mm | 75% | 3.5 m/s | 4 |
| 2021 | 13.3°C | 7.7°C | 2.0°C | 22.7°C | -4.7°C | 86 mm | 78% | 3.1 m/s | 4.4 |
| 2020 | 14.6°C | 9.4°C | 4.1°C | 23.8°C | -4.0°C | 67 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2019 | 9.7°C | 4.8°C | -0.1°C | 21.2°C | -7.9°C | 107 mm | 81% | 3.1 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2018 | 8.6°C | 3.8°C | -1.0°C | 22.5°C | -4.5°C | 62 mm | 76% | 3.8 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2017 | 10.8°C | 5.6°C | 0.4°C | 24.1°C | -8.5°C | 92 mm | 73% | 3.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2016 | 14.5°C | 9.1°C | 3.7°C | 23.9°C | -4.2°C | 41 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 4 |
| 2015 | 8.6°C | 3.2°C | -2.1°C | 20.3°C | -16.8°C | 109 mm | 80% | 2.9 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2014 | 7.6°C | 2.6°C | -2.3°C | 17.7°C | -12.5°C | 102 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2013 | 8.0°C | 3.6°C | -0.8°C | 13.9°C | -3.5°C | 77 mm | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2012 🔥 | 16.3°C | 11.0°C | 5.6°C | 25.1°C | -3.7°C | 31 mm | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2011 | 10.8°C | 5.7°C | 0.5°C | 23.1°C | -4.9°C | 124 mm | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2010 | 12.8°C | 7.9°C | 3.0°C | 20.8°C | -3.1°C | 131 mm | 82% | 3.3 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2009 | 10.9°C | 5.8°C | 0.8°C | 22.4°C | -9.6°C | 54 mm | 79% | 3 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2008 | 12.2°C | 6.6°C | 1.0°C | 19.4°C | -3.5°C | 78 mm | 76% | 3.4 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2007 | 11.6°C | 5.8°C | 0.1°C | 23.8°C | -10.3°C | 96 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 4.3 |
| 2006 | 12.0°C | 6.4°C | 0.8°C | 24.7°C | -4.0°C | 4 mm | 72% | 3.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 2005 | 8.6°C | 3.9°C | -0.8°C | 15.8°C | -7.1°C | 104 mm | 79% | 3.1 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2004 | 11.9°C | 6.5°C | 1.1°C | 21.3°C | -4.2°C | 56 mm | 81% | 3 m/s | 4 |
| 2003 | 11.5°C | 6.1°C | 0.7°C | 20.9°C | -7.3°C | 105 mm | 86% | 2.9 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2002 | 13.0°C | 7.1°C | 1.3°C | 23.1°C | -6.6°C | 103 mm | 73% | 3.3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2001 | 9.5°C | 4.4°C | -0.7°C | 17.9°C | -5.3°C | 129 mm | 76% | 3.7 m/s | 4 |
| 2000 | 14.2°C | 8.3°C | 2.3°C | 24.5°C | -5.1°C | 126 mm | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1999 | 9.3°C | 4.1°C | -1.0°C | 18.7°C | -7.1°C | 101 mm | 76% | 3.9 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1998 | 10.4°C | 6.3°C | 2.1°C | 26.7°C | -6.3°C | 151 mm | 84% | 3.3 m/s | 4 |
| 1997 | 11.1°C | 5.9°C | 0.6°C | 19.6°C | -3.8°C | 126 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1996 | 7.3°C | 2.6°C | -2.1°C | 17.5°C | -10.7°C | 100 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1995 | 12.4°C | 6.5°C | 0.6°C | 21.1°C | -9.2°C | 51 mm | 77% | 2.8 m/s | 4.1 |
| 1994 🌧️ | 8.6°C | 4.0°C | -0.6°C | 21.9°C | -5.6°C | 223 mm | 86% | 3.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1993 | 7.8°C | 3.2°C | -1.3°C | 16.0°C | -16.0°C | 202 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1992 | 9.7°C | 4.9°C | 0.1°C | 18.5°C | -6.3°C | 116 mm | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1991 | 11.8°C | 6.7°C | 1.7°C | 19.9°C | -4.2°C | 129 mm | 81% | 3.4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1990 | 12.6°C | 7.4°C | 2.3°C | 24.8°C | -6.2°C | 79 mm | 80% | 2.8 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1989 | 10.0°C | 5.1°C | 0.2°C | 24.1°C | -8.9°C | 125 mm | 84% | 3.3 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1988 | 11.3°C | 5.8°C | 0.3°C | 20.8°C | -5.0°C | 61 mm | 77% | 3.1 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1987 | 11.2°C | 5.8°C | 0.3°C | 20.2°C | -5.5°C | 40 mm | 80% | 3 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1986 | 11.1°C | 5.4°C | -0.4°C | 22.5°C | -11.0°C | 38 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1985 | 11.3°C | 5.9°C | 0.5°C | 22.5°C | -5.6°C | 57 mm | 76% | 3.4 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1984 ❄️ | 6.5°C | 2.3°C | -1.9°C | 17.8°C | -8.3°C | 158 mm | 83% | 3.5 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1983 | 11.4°C | 6.4°C | 1.5°C | 21.9°C | -4.8°C | 156 mm | 79% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 10.0°C | 5.0°C | 0.0°C | 19.8°C | -5.5°C | 81 mm | 82% | 3.1 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 9.5°C | 4.1°C | -1.3°C | 21.6°C | -5.3°C | 35 mm | 74% | 3.4 m/s | — |
Actual recorded March data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in March is around 11.1°C with lows near 0.7°C (mean 5.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 94 mm of rainfall in Washington, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 223 mm in 1994.
The hottest March reached 26.7°C in 1998. The coldest dipped to -16.8°C in 2015.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have risen by about 3.3°C. Daytime highs moved from 9.7°C to 13.6°C and overnight lows from -0.2°C to 2.3°C over the same span.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Washington and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 11.1°C daytime highs and 0.7°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 4th coolest month in Washington, averaging 5.9°C.
For March in Washington, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.1°C and lows of 0.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in March averages 79% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in March is 3.3 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 3.9 m/s (1999).
The wettest March on record was 1994 with 223 mm. On average, March sees 94 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 Washington 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.
