March is one of the cooler months of the year in Champaign, with average highs near 10.7°C and lows around -0.7°C (mean 5°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 75 mm of rainfall and 78% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Champaign. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in Champaign was 2012 — when the month averaged 12.5°C — while the coldest was 1984 at 0.1°C. Typical March days reach 10.7°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 Champaign, averaging 75 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 1998 with 146 mm, while the driest was 1981 at 23 mm.
Relative humidity in Champaign during March averages 78%. The most humid March was 1993 at 86%, and the least humid was 1981 at 69%.
March receives about 3.7 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Champaign. The sunniest March was 1999 at 4.3 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 2.7.
Average wind speed in Champaign during March is 3.9 m/s. The windiest March was 1991 at 5 m/s, while the calmest was 2010 at 3.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 4.2°C | 4.4°C | 5.2°C | 5.0°C | 6.7°C | +2.5°C |
| Avg High | 10.0°C | 9.9°C | 11.0°C | 10.6°C | 12.7°C | +2.7°C |
| Avg Low | -1.6°C | -1.1°C | -0.6°C | -0.6°C | 0.6°C | +2.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 70 mm | 77 mm | 75 mm | 66 mm | 93 mm | +22 mm |
March temperatures in Champaign have risen by about 2.9°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
March has ranged from a record low of -19.6°C (2002) to a record high of 27.3°C (1981).
Rainfall in March is about average for rainfall, averaging 75 mm, with a wettest year of 146 mm.
A quieter season to visit Champaign
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of June and August tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Champaign. That said, March — with days averaging 10.7°C and nights around -0.7°C (mean 5°C) and moderate rainfall (75 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 | 14.5°C | 8.0°C | 1.5°C | 26.0°C | -6.3°C | 75 mm | 71% | 4.4 m/s | 4 |
| 2024 | 14.5°C | 8.0°C | 1.6°C | 23.1°C | -5.3°C | 55 mm | 74% | 4.3 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2023 | 10.5°C | 4.7°C | -1.0°C | 21.4°C | -8.9°C | 115 mm | 77% | 4.3 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2022 | 11.5°C | 5.6°C | -0.3°C | 21.6°C | -11.1°C | 119 mm | 78% | 4.1 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2021 | 13.4°C | 7.1°C | 0.7°C | 21.6°C | -5.4°C | 103 mm | 75% | 4 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2020 | 11.9°C | 6.6°C | 1.3°C | 21.7°C | -5.0°C | 87 mm | 83% | 3.8 m/s | 3 |
| 2019 | 7.9°C | 2.6°C | -2.8°C | 20.2°C | -16.5°C | 120 mm | 79% | 3.8 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2018 | 8.1°C | 2.8°C | -2.6°C | 15.8°C | -6.6°C | 88 mm | 77% | 3.7 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2017 | 11.4°C | 6.0°C | 0.6°C | 24.2°C | -7.6°C | 68 mm | 74% | 4.2 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2016 | 14.0°C | 8.4°C | 2.9°C | 22.1°C | -6.7°C | 92 mm | 81% | 3.9 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2015 | 9.4°C | 3.5°C | -2.4°C | 23.2°C | -15.8°C | 48 mm | 78% | 3.3 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2014 | 7.6°C | 1.6°C | -4.5°C | 19.0°C | -16.6°C | 43 mm | 76% | 3.8 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2013 | 5.8°C | 1.2°C | -3.5°C | 16.4°C | -10.4°C | 39 mm | 78% | 3.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2012 🔥 | 18.5°C | 12.5°C | 6.6°C | 26.8°C | -4.9°C | 39 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2011 | 11.1°C | 5.3°C | -0.5°C | 24.0°C | -5.8°C | 55 mm | 78% | 3.8 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 11.7°C | 6.0°C | 0.2°C | 23.2°C | -4.6°C | 71 mm | 84% | 3.2 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2009 | 12.1°C | 5.9°C | -0.3°C | 21.5°C | -11.8°C | 85 mm | 78% | 3.9 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2008 | 9.1°C | 3.5°C | -2.0°C | 19.0°C | -10.1°C | 103 mm | 82% | 3.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2007 | 14.3°C | 8.8°C | 3.2°C | 25.1°C | -6.8°C | 91 mm | 81% | 4.1 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2006 | 10.7°C | 5.0°C | -0.8°C | 23.1°C | -6.7°C | 102 mm | 78% | 4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2005 | 8.5°C | 3.5°C | -1.5°C | 21.9°C | -9.9°C | 34 mm | 79% | 3.8 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2004 | 12.1°C | 6.4°C | 0.7°C | 23.8°C | -7.1°C | 127 mm | 78% | 4.2 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2003 | 12.3°C | 5.7°C | -1.0°C | 23.6°C | -12.0°C | 45 mm | 75% | 3.7 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2002 | 8.6°C | 2.9°C | -2.7°C | 18.8°C | -19.6°C | 90 mm | 80% | 4.1 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2001 | 8.2°C | 2.7°C | -2.8°C | 14.4°C | -7.0°C | 27 mm | 77% | 3.4 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2000 | 14.4°C | 7.8°C | 1.2°C | 25.2°C | -6.2°C | 46 mm | 70% | 3.6 m/s | 3.9 |
| 1999 | 9.1°C | 3.3°C | -2.6°C | 20.3°C | -7.2°C | 34 mm | 75% | 3.6 m/s | 4.3 |
| 1998 🌧️ | 9.3°C | 4.4°C | -0.4°C | 25.5°C | -16.8°C | 146 mm | 80% | 4.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1997 | 11.3°C | 5.3°C | -0.7°C | 24.5°C | -7.3°C | 81 mm | 78% | 4.2 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1996 | 7.5°C | 1.6°C | -4.2°C | 21.2°C | -14.6°C | 68 mm | 72% | 4.3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1995 | 12.0°C | 5.9°C | -0.1°C | 22.5°C | -9.7°C | 78 mm | 76% | 3.4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1994 | 9.3°C | 3.7°C | -1.8°C | 21.0°C | -6.4°C | 30 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1993 | 7.3°C | 2.6°C | -2.2°C | 20.7°C | -11.9°C | 86 mm | 86% | 3.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1992 | 10.6°C | 5.1°C | -0.3°C | 22.5°C | -7.1°C | 63 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1991 | 11.1°C | 5.6°C | 0.1°C | 25.0°C | -5.8°C | 103 mm | 81% | 5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1990 | 11.9°C | 6.5°C | 1.2°C | 24.7°C | -6.4°C | 78 mm | 78% | 3.9 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1989 | 10.3°C | 4.3°C | -1.6°C | 23.0°C | -12.2°C | 58 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1988 | 9.3°C | 3.5°C | -2.2°C | 21.1°C | -9.5°C | 85 mm | 79% | 4.2 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1987 | 11.7°C | 5.9°C | 0.1°C | 20.9°C | -7.2°C | 26 mm | 75% | 3.9 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1986 | 11.3°C | 5.1°C | -1.1°C | 25.6°C | -11.2°C | 35 mm | 79% | 4.3 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1985 | 11.4°C | 5.5°C | -0.4°C | 24.4°C | -6.2°C | 126 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1984 ❄️ | 4.9°C | 0.1°C | -4.6°C | 16.5°C | -11.5°C | 96 mm | 85% | 3.9 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1983 | 10.4°C | 5.0°C | -0.3°C | 20.6°C | -8.1°C | 87 mm | 81% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 9.6°C | 3.7°C | -2.2°C | 21.1°C | -12.5°C | 96 mm | 82% | 4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 10.9°C | 4.6°C | -1.8°C | 27.3°C | -6.5°C | 23 mm | 69% | 3.8 m/s | — |
Actual recorded March data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in March is around 10.7°C with lows near -0.7°C (mean 5°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 75 mm of rainfall in Champaign, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 146 mm in 1998.
The hottest March reached 27.3°C in 1981. The coldest dipped to -19.6°C in 2002.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have risen by about 2.9°C. Daytime highs moved from 9.4°C to 12.9°C and overnight lows from -1.9°C to 0.5°C over the same span.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Champaign and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 10.7°C daytime highs and -0.7°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 4th coolest month in Champaign, averaging 5°C.
For March in Champaign, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 10.7°C and lows of -0.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in March averages 78% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in March is 3.9 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 5 m/s (1991).
The wettest March on record was 1998 with 146 mm. On average, March sees 75 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 Champaign 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.
