March is one of the cooler months of the year in Chicago, with average highs near 5°C and lows around -0.6°C (mean 2.2°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 65 mm of rainfall and 81% relative humidity across the period.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Chicago. Across 45 years of records, the warmest March in Chicago was 2012 — when the month averaged 8.3°C — while the coldest was 2014 at -2°C. Typical March days reach 5°C with nights near -0.6°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
March is one of the drier months in Chicago, averaging 65 mm of rainfall. The wettest March on record was 2009 with 135 mm, while the driest was 1981 at 17 mm.
Relative humidity in Chicago during March averages 81%. The most humid March was 1993 at 88%, and the least humid was 1999 at 77%.
March receives about 3.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Chicago. The sunniest March was 1999 at 4.4 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 1993 at 2.7.
Average wind speed in Chicago during March is 4.7 m/s. The windiest March was 1991 at 5.8 m/s, while the calmest was 2015 at 3.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 1.8°C | 1.9°C | 2.4°C | 1.9°C | 3.5°C | +1.7°C |
| Avg High | 4.6°C | 4.5°C | 5.3°C | 4.7°C | 6.5°C | +1.9°C |
| Avg Low | -1.0°C | -0.7°C | -0.4°C | -0.9°C | 0.5°C | +1.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 63 mm | 63 mm | 67 mm | 53 mm | 87 mm | +24 mm |
March temperatures in Chicago have risen by about 2°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
March has ranged from a record low of -17.3°C (2015) to a record high of 21°C (2012).
Rainfall in March is one of the drier months, averaging 65 mm, with a wettest year of 135 mm.
A quieter season to visit Chicago
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Chicago. That said, March — with days averaging 5°C and nights around -0.6°C (mean 2.2°C) and moderate rainfall (65 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 | 7.8°C | 4.4°C | 1.0°C | 15.9°C | -5.3°C | 105 mm | 77% | 4.9 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2024 | 7.6°C | 4.7°C | 1.8°C | 14.3°C | -1.6°C | 120 mm | 79% | 5.1 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2023 | 4.7°C | 2.2°C | -0.3°C | 13.2°C | -8.0°C | 99 mm | 81% | 4.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2022 | 5.7°C | 2.5°C | -0.7°C | 14.6°C | -10.7°C | 91 mm | 80% | 4.6 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2021 | 7.2°C | 4.0°C | 0.9°C | 13.5°C | -4.3°C | 30 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s | 4 |
| 2020 | 6.0°C | 3.3°C | 0.5°C | 12.4°C | -2.8°C | 79 mm | 85% | 4.6 m/s | 3 |
| 2019 | 3.2°C | 0.1°C | -2.9°C | 12.4°C | -17.3°C | 57 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2018 | 3.4°C | 1.1°C | -1.3°C | 10.6°C | -4.5°C | 36 mm | 78% | 4.4 m/s | 4 |
| 2017 | 4.8°C | 2.3°C | -0.2°C | 16.3°C | -6.3°C | 112 mm | 80% | 5.1 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2016 | 6.8°C | 4.1°C | 1.5°C | 13.8°C | -5.8°C | 85 mm | 85% | 4.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2015 | 4.0°C | 0.3°C | -3.3°C | 13.3°C | -17.3°C | 19 mm | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 4.1 |
| 2014 ❄️ | 1.6°C | -2.0°C | -5.6°C | 11.3°C | -15.0°C | 33 mm | 82% | 4.5 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2013 | 2.2°C | -0.2°C | -2.7°C | 8.8°C | -8.9°C | 37 mm | 79% | 4.4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2012 🔥 | 11.4°C | 8.3°C | 5.3°C | 21.0°C | -4.1°C | 55 mm | 83% | 4.8 m/s | 4 |
| 2011 | 3.7°C | 1.3°C | -1.2°C | 13.1°C | -6.6°C | 62 mm | 82% | 4.4 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2010 | 6.3°C | 4.0°C | 1.7°C | 15.2°C | -1.7°C | 35 mm | 83% | 4.1 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2009 🌧️ | 5.8°C | 2.6°C | -0.6°C | 13.3°C | -7.8°C | 135 mm | 82% | 4.8 m/s | 3.9 |
| 2008 | 3.1°C | 0.4°C | -2.3°C | 10.6°C | -7.7°C | 62 mm | 83% | 4.3 m/s | 3.3 |
| 2007 | 6.7°C | 3.5°C | 0.3°C | 16.8°C | -8.1°C | 77 mm | 85% | 4.8 m/s | 3.6 |
| 2006 | 5.4°C | 3.0°C | 0.7°C | 14.7°C | -2.0°C | 77 mm | 81% | 4.7 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2005 | 3.8°C | 1.5°C | -0.7°C | 13.8°C | -6.8°C | 25 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s | 3.7 |
| 2004 | 6.8°C | 3.8°C | 0.8°C | 16.0°C | -5.7°C | 88 mm | 81% | 5 m/s | 3.2 |
| 2003 | 5.6°C | 2.0°C | -1.5°C | 17.5°C | -12.9°C | 39 mm | 81% | 4.4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 2002 | 4.1°C | 1.0°C | -2.0°C | 11.4°C | -15.8°C | 96 mm | 83% | 5.5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 2001 | 3.7°C | 1.2°C | -1.2°C | 9.2°C | -5.9°C | 29 mm | 80% | 4.6 m/s | 3.8 |
| 2000 | 8.2°C | 5.1°C | 2.0°C | 16.0°C | -1.6°C | 37 mm | 78% | 4.1 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1999 | 4.2°C | 1.8°C | -0.5°C | 13.5°C | -5.0°C | 38 mm | 77% | 4.9 m/s | 4.4 |
| 1998 | 4.8°C | 2.8°C | 0.7°C | 16.3°C | -8.3°C | 108 mm | 82% | 5.3 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1997 | 4.4°C | 1.8°C | -0.8°C | 13.5°C | -8.3°C | 47 mm | 83% | 5 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1996 | 2.4°C | -0.7°C | -3.9°C | 10.8°C | -12.9°C | 29 mm | 78% | 5.4 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1995 | 5.0°C | 2.3°C | -0.4°C | 16.0°C | -9.7°C | 48 mm | 83% | 4.1 m/s | 3.5 |
| 1994 | 4.3°C | 1.7°C | -0.9°C | 14.2°C | -6.2°C | 24 mm | 82% | 4 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1993 | 2.7°C | 0.7°C | -1.4°C | 11.2°C | -9.8°C | 91 mm | 88% | 4.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1992 | 4.7°C | 2.2°C | -0.3°C | 11.5°C | -8.0°C | 63 mm | 83% | 4.6 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1991 | 6.2°C | 3.3°C | 0.4°C | 16.4°C | -4.1°C | 99 mm | 82% | 5.8 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1990 | 5.9°C | 3.0°C | 0.2°C | 15.1°C | -4.9°C | 79 mm | 80% | 4.9 m/s | 3.3 |
| 1989 | 3.8°C | 0.9°C | -2.0°C | 13.8°C | -9.3°C | 52 mm | 83% | 4.8 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1988 | 4.7°C | 1.9°C | -0.9°C | 12.7°C | -5.1°C | 61 mm | 80% | 5.1 m/s | 3.7 |
| 1987 | 5.9°C | 3.1°C | 0.2°C | 15.5°C | -5.8°C | 24 mm | 80% | 4.8 m/s | 3.6 |
| 1986 | 5.8°C | 2.1°C | -1.6°C | 16.5°C | -11.5°C | 35 mm | 84% | 5.2 m/s | 3.8 |
| 1985 | 5.6°C | 2.8°C | 0.1°C | 12.2°C | -3.7°C | 107 mm | 83% | 5.5 m/s | 3.4 |
| 1984 | 1.1°C | -0.9°C | -2.9°C | 8.9°C | -9.8°C | 71 mm | 81% | 5.2 m/s | 3.1 |
| 1983 | 5.2°C | 2.9°C | 0.7°C | 13.3°C | -6.7°C | 94 mm | 84% | 4.7 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 4.0°C | 1.2°C | -1.7°C | 13.0°C | -9.0°C | 107 mm | 82% | 5.4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 4.9°C | 2.2°C | -0.6°C | 17.4°C | -4.5°C | 17 mm | 78% | 4.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded March data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in March is around 5°C with lows near -0.6°C (mean 2.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
March averages 65 mm of rainfall in Chicago, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 135 mm in 2009.
The hottest March reached 21°C in 2012. The coldest dipped to -17.3°C in 2015.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average March temperatures have risen by about 2°C. Daytime highs moved from 4.2°C to 6.6°C and overnight lows from -0.9°C to 0.5°C over the same span.
March is one of the cooler months of the year in Chicago and one of the drier months, so plan for around 5°C daytime highs and -0.6°C at night.
Not quite — March is the 4th coolest month in Chicago, averaging 2.2°C.
For March in Chicago, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 5°C and lows of -0.6°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in March averages 81% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in March is 4.7 m/s. The windiest March on record averaged 5.8 m/s (1991).
The wettest March on record was 2009 with 135 mm. On average, March sees 65 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 Chicago 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.
