Chicago weather in March
In March, Chicago has an average high of 5 °C41 °F and an average low of −1 °C31 °F, with about 62 mm2.4 in of precipitation. It is the 9th warmest month of the year and ranks 8th for precipitation.
How March compares with other months
Compared with February, March is 4.3 °C7.8 °F warmer on average and wetter by 8 mm0.3 in. Compared with April, March is 4.8 °C8.7 °F cooler on average and drier by 33 mm1.3 in. Daylight lasts about 11.8 hours around the middle of the month. Average relative humidity is 82% and the average cloud amount 66%.
Is March a good time to visit Chicago?
March is not among the most comfortable months by our comfort score: it is cool (average high 5 °C41 °F), nights are cold (average low −1 °C31 °F) and it is fairly wet (62 mm2.4 in). The most comfortable months in Chicago are June and July and September.
What to wear in March
For Chicago in March, pack a warm coat, layers and closed shoes and shoes with good grip, as frost is common.
March in nearby places
| Place | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 541 | −131 | 622.4 |
| Joliet | 948 | −228 | 632.5 |
| Elgin | 745 | −327 | 632.5 |
| Aurora | 745 | −327 | 632.5 |
| South Bend | 846 | −228 | 632.5 |
| Rockford | 745 | −326 | 602.4 |
| Milwaukee | 643 | −326 | 592.3 |
| Madison | 643 | −424 | 592.3 |
| Grand Rapids | 643 | −425 | 632.5 |
Nearby places that are more than 1 °C1.8 °F warmer in March: Joliet; cooler: Madison.
Other months in Chicago
- January0 °C32 °F / −5 °C23 °F
- February0 °C33 °F / −5 °C23 °F
- March5 °C41 °F / −1 °C31 °F
- April10 °C50 °F / 4 °C39 °F
- May15 °C59 °F / 9 °C47 °F
- June21 °C70 °F / 15 °C59 °F
- July25 °C77 °F / 20 °C68 °F
- August25 °C77 °F / 20 °C68 °F
- September22 °C71 °F / 16 °C62 °F
- October15 °C59 °F / 10 °C49 °F
- November9 °C47 °F / 3 °C38 °F
- December3 °C37 °F / −2 °C29 °F
Frequently asked questions
How warm is Chicago in March?
In March the average high in Chicago is 5 °C (41 °F) and the average low is -1 °C (31 °F).
Does it rain a lot in Chicago in March?
On average about 62 mm (2.4 in) of precipitation falls in March; it ranks 8th of the 12 months.
Is March the warmest month in Chicago?
No. The warmest month in Chicago is July, with an average high of 25 °C (77 °F). The coldest month is February, with an average low of -5 °C (23 °F).
How long is the day in Chicago in March?
In the middle of March the day in Chicago lasts about 11.8 hours from sunrise to sunset. The value is calculated from the position of the city and the sun.
How humid is Chicago in March?
The average relative humidity in March is about 82%. This is a long-term average for the whole day.
How cloudy is Chicago in March?
On average about 66% of the sky is covered by cloud in March. This is the mean cloud amount from satellite data, not the number of sunny days.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station, so they can differ from airport records — most of all on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.