Ottumwa weather in March: Ottumwa, Iowa: normal highs, lows, rain and records for March
Ottumwa in March has a normal high of 50°F and a normal low of 29°F, a daily mean of 40°F, rising from 43°F on the 1st to 57°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 10 days in a normal March, 2.24 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 10°C and low of −2°C, 57 mm of precipitation and 8 cm of snow in March.
- NOAA stationOttumwa Industrial Airport
- Station IDUSW00014950
- Location41.11°N 92.45°W
- Elevation842 ft (257 m)
- From the center6 miles
- Population25,648
- Jan 32° 14°
- Feb 37° 18°
- Mar 50° 29°
- Apr 63° 39°
- May 73° 51°
- Jun 82° 61°
- Jul 86° 65°
- Aug 84° 62°
- Sep 77° 53°
- Oct 64° 42°
- Nov 50° 30°
- Dec 37° 20°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Ottumwa in March?
The normal high is 50°F and the normal low 29°F, for a daily mean of 39.6°F. March is 12.2°F warmer than February and 11.5°F cooler than April. March is the 8th warmest month of the year in Ottumwa and the 8th wettest. Across the month the normal high rises 14°F, from 43°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 | 43°F | 23°F | 28% | 14% |
| March 8 | 46°F | 26°F | 29% | 15% |
| March 15 | 50°F | 29°F | 30% | 15% |
| March 22 | 53°F | 31°F | 32% | 17% |
| March 31 | 57°F | 34°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 | 43°F | 23°F | 28% | 14% | 11 h 10 min |
| March 2 | 43°F | 24°F | 28% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 3 | 44°F | 24°F | 29% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 4 | 44°F | 25°F | 29% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 5 | 45°F | 25°F | 29% | 14% | 11 h 20 min |
| March 6 | 45°F | 25°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 30 min |
| March 7 | 46°F | 26°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 30 min |
| March 8 | 46°F | 26°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 30 min |
| March 9 | 47°F | 26°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 40 min |
| March 10 | 47°F | 27°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 40 min |
| March 11 | 48°F | 27°F | 29% | 15% | 11 h 40 min |
| March 12 | 48°F | 28°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 40 min |
| March 13 | 49°F | 28°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 14 | 49°F | 28°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 15 | 50°F | 29°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 16 | 50°F | 29°F | 30% | 15% | 11 h 50 min |
| March 17 | 51°F | 29°F | 31% | 15% | 12 h |
| March 18 | 51°F | 30°F | 31% | 16% | 12 h |
| March 19 | 52°F | 30°F | 31% | 16% | 12 h |
| March 20 | 52°F | 30°F | 31% | 16% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 21 | 53°F | 31°F | 32% | 16% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 22 | 53°F | 31°F | 32% | 17% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 23 | 54°F | 31°F | 32% | 17% | 12 h 10 min |
| March 24 | 54°F | 32°F | 33% | 17% | 12 h 20 min |
| March 25 | 55°F | 32°F | 33% | 17% | 12 h 20 min |
| March 26 | 55°F | 32°F | 33% | 18% | 12 h 20 min |
| March 27 | 56°F | 33°F | 33% | 18% | 12 h 20 min |
| March 28 | 56°F | 33°F | 34% | 18% | 12 h 30 min |
| March 29 | 57°F | 33°F | 34% | 18% | 12 h 30 min |
| March 30 | 57°F | 34°F | 34% | 19% | 12 h 30 min |
| March 31 | 57°F | 34°F | 34% | 19% | 12 h 40 min |
- Normal high
- 50°FMarch average
- Normal low
- 29°FMarch average
- Precipitation
- 2.24 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 100.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 3.0 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 20
- Daylight
- 11 h 10 min to 12 h 40 minMarch 1 to March 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 3
- Sunshine
- 70%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00014950; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Ottumwa in March?
On a given March day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 31% on average, highest around March 31 (34%). In all, 2.24 in falls on 10 days of a normal March.
In a normal March in Ottumwa, 20 nights fall to freezing, 3 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 3.0 inches.
Snow falls on 2 days in a normal March, and an inch or more covers the ground on 4 days.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00014950.
How humid and windy is Ottumwa in March?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 54°F with 47% relative humidity and a dew point of 34°F; at 6 a.m. it is 38°F with 78% humidity. The wind averages 12.9 mph, most often from the west-southwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 38°F | 32°F | 78% | 11.5 mph | 56% |
| 9 a.m. | 45°F | 34°F | 65% | 14.0 mph | 53% |
| noon | 51°F | 34°F | 51% | 15.1 mph | 51% |
| 3 p.m. | 54°F | 34°F | 47% | 15.5 mph | 47% |
| 6 p.m. | 52°F | 35°F | 52% | 13.3 mph | 51% |
| 9 p.m. | 46°F | 34°F | 65% | 11.2 mph | 59% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00014950. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for March in Ottumwa?
The warmest March temperature on this station's record (since 1948) is 91°F, on March 21, 2026; the coldest is −20°F, on March 1, 1962. The wettest March brought 5.07 in (1977); the snowiest, 22.4 inches (1960).
The March mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 39.6°F: 2021 44.4°F (+4.8), 2022 39.2°F (−0.4), 2023 37.5°F (−2.1), 2024 44.6°F (+5.0), 2025 46.2°F (+6.6), 2026 46.8°F (+7.2). 4 of 6 ran warmer than normal.
| March | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 44.4°F | +4.8°F | 2.67 in |
| 2022 | 39.2°F | −0.4°F | 3.45 in |
| 2023 | 37.5°F | −2.1°F | 2.23 in |
| 2024 | 44.6°F | +5.0°F | 2.56 in |
| 2025 | 46.2°F | +6.6°F | 1.47 in |
| 2026 | 46.8°F | +7.2°F | 1.27 in |
Source: records: ACIS, station USW00014950; recent months: ACIS, station USW00014950. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does March in Ottumwa 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; Ottumwa's is 50°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.