Iowa City weather in March: Iowa City, Iowa: normal highs, lows, rain and records for March
Iowa City in March has a normal high of 50°F and a normal low of 30°F, a daily mean of 40°F, rising from 42°F on the 1st to 57°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 9 days in a normal March, 2.21 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 10°C and low of −1°C, 56 mm of precipitation in March.
- NOAA stationIowa City Municipal Airport
- Station IDUSW00014937
- Location41.63°N 91.54°W
- Elevation650 ft (198 m)
- From the center2 miles
- Population76,710
- Jan 31° 15°
- Feb 36° 19°
- Mar 50° 30°
- Apr 63° 40°
- May 73° 52°
- Jun 83° 62°
- Jul 86° 66°
- Aug 84° 63°
- Sep 78° 54°
- Oct 64° 42°
- Nov 49° 30°
- Dec 36° 20°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Iowa City in March?
The normal high is 50°F and the normal low 30°F, for a daily mean of 39.5°F. March is 12.5°F warmer than February and 11.9°F cooler than April. March is the 9th warmest month of the year in Iowa City and the 8th wettest. Across the month the normal high rises 15°F, from 42°F on March 1 to 57°F on March 31. From one year to the next March's mean temperature typically moves about 4.7°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Marchs in three average between 35°F and 44°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 34%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1 | 42°F | 24°F | 27% | 14% |
| March 8 | 45°F | 27°F | 28% | 15% |
| March 15 | 49°F | 29°F | 30% | 16% |
| March 22 | 53°F | 32°F | 31% | 17% |
| March 31 | 57°F | 35°F | 34% | 19% |
Every day of March: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon March 31, coldest night March 1)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1 | 42°F | 24°F | 27% | 14% | 11 h 10 min |
| March 2 | 42°F | 24°F | 28% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 3 | 43°F | 24°F | 28% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 4 | 43°F | 25°F | 28% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 5 | 44°F | 25°F | 28% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 6 | 44°F | 26°F | 28% | 15% | 11 h 30 min |
| March 7 | 45°F | 26°F | 28% | 15% | 11 h 30 min |
| March 8 | 45°F | 27°F | 28% | 15% | 11 h 30 min |
| March 9 | 46°F | 27°F | 28% | 15% | 11 h 30 min |
| March 10 | 46°F | 27°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 40 min |
| March 11 | 47°F | 28°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 40 min |
| March 12 | 48°F | 28°F | 29% | 16% | 11 h 40 min |
| March 13 | 48°F | 29°F | 29% | 16% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 14 | 49°F | 29°F | 29% | 16% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 15 | 49°F | 29°F | 30% | 16% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 16 | 50°F | 30°F | 30% | 16% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 17 | 50°F | 30°F | 30% | 16% | 12 h |
| March 18 | 51°F | 30°F | 30% | 16% | 12 h |
| March 19 | 51°F | 31°F | 31% | 17% | 12 h |
| March 20 | 52°F | 31°F | 31% | 17% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 21 | 52°F | 32°F | 31% | 17% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 22 | 53°F | 32°F | 31% | 17% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 23 | 53°F | 32°F | 32% | 17% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 24 | 54°F | 33°F | 32% | 18% | 12 h 20 min |
| March 25 | 54°F | 33°F | 32% | 18% | 12 h 20 min |
| March 26 | 55°F | 33°F | 32% | 18% | 12 h 20 min |
| March 27 | 55°F | 34°F | 33% | 18% | 12 h 30 min |
| March 28 | 56°F | 34°F | 33% | 18% | 12 h 30 min |
| March 29 | 56°F | 34°F | 33% | 18% | 12 h 30 min |
| March 30 | 57°F | 35°F | 34% | 19% | 12 h 30 min |
| March 31 | 57°F | 35°F | 34% | 19% | 12 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 50°FMarch average
- Normal low
- 30°FMarch average
- Precipitation
- 2.21 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 90.01 inch or more
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 21
- Daylight
- 11 h 10 min to 12 h 40 minMarch 1 to March 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 2
- Sunshine
- 69%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014937; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain in Iowa City in March?
On a given March day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 30% on average, highest around March 31 (34%). In all, 2.21 in falls on 9 days of a normal March.
In a normal March in Iowa City, 21 nights fall to freezing and 3 days stay below freezing all day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014937.
What are the records for March in Iowa City?
The warmest March temperature on this station's record (since 1948) is 91°F, on March 21, 2026; the coldest is −16°F, on March 12, 1948. The wettest March brought 5.55 in (1951); the snowiest, 31.1 inches (1951).
The March mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 39.5°F: 2021 43.3°F (+3.8), 2022 38.9°F (−0.6), 2023 38.2°F (−1.3), 2024 44.4°F (+4.9), 2025 45.4°F (+5.9), 2026 45.5°F (+6.0). 4 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| March | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 43.3°F | +3.8°F | 2.63 in |
| 2022 | 38.9°F | −0.6°F | 2.45 in |
| 2023 | 38.2°F | −1.3°F | 1.58 in |
| 2024 | 44.4°F | +4.9°F | 2.48 in |
| 2025 | 45.4°F | +5.9°F | 2.54 in |
| 2026 | 45.5°F | +6.0°F | 2.19 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00014937; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014937. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does March in Iowa City compare across Iowa?
Across the 132 places PlainClimate covers in Iowa, March normal highs run from 38°F in Northwood to 52°F in Shenandoah; Iowa City's is 50°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.