Dartmouth weather in March

In March, Dartmouth sees average daytime highs of 3°C and overnight lows near -5°C, with 108 mm of precipitation across 12 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to 5°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Dartmouth's 6th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dartmouth's year-round climate.

Daytime high
9th warmest
Overnight low
-5°
3rd coldest
Precipitation
108 mm
12 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:36 AM – 6:12 PM
Cloud cover
70%
6th clearest
Wind
16 km/h
2nd windiest
Solar energy
3.71 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Dartmouth is urban community and former city in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Air quality
Good
PM2.5 7 µg/m³ · 2013
Density
1,730/km²
people per km²
Founded
1750

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 2°C in the first days to 5°C by the end.

A typical March day in Dartmouth reaches about 3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -5°C overnight — a 8°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -2°C and 9°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 3°C warmer than February and about 6°C cooler than April.

-10°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11-7
21-7
32-6
42-6
52-6
62-6
72-6
82-6
92-6
102-6
112-5
123-5
133-5
143-5
153-5
163-5
173-4
183-4
194-4
204-4
214-4
224-4
234-3
244-3
255-3
265-3
275-3
285-2
295-2
306-2
316-2

How March really feels in Dartmouth

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
18 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

The story in March is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Dartmouth weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-1° / -9°11111.57.990.0
Feb-0° / -9°10110.47.410.10.0
Mar / -5°108126.811.60.0
Apr / 9212.13.713.21.6
May14° / 8311.30.314.63.9
Jun19° / 10°9811.7015.35.7
Jul23° / 15°9010.30156.5
Aug23° / 15°9110.2013.96.7
Sep20° / 11°979.4012.36.2
Oct14° / 12410.60.110.73.9
Nov / 12911.11.79.41.3
Dec / -4°13413.36.28.70.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 67%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13268
23268
33268
43268
53169
63169
73169
83169
93268
103268
113268
123268
133367
143367
153466
163466
173565
183664
193664
203664
213763
223763
233664
243565
253565
263466
273466
283367
293367
303268
313268

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Dartmouth gets around 108 mm of rain and snow over 12 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 38% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 7 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13622
23722
33722
43823
53823
63923
73923
84024
94024
103924
113923
123923
133923
143923
153923
163823
173823
183822
193822
203722
213721
223721
233720
243720
253819
263819
273819
283919
293918
303918
313918

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of March feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, March lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in March

Winds average 16 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
116light breeze
216light breeze
316light breeze
416light breeze
516light breeze
616light breeze
716light breeze
816light breeze
916light breeze
1016light breeze
1116light breeze
1216light breeze
1316light breeze
1416light breeze
1516light breeze
1616light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2716light breeze
2816light breeze
2916light breeze
3016light breeze
3116light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 48 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 96 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:03 AM to 6:07 AM, and sunset from 5:52 PM to 6:32 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.87:035:52
210.97:015:54
310.96:595:55
411.06:575:57
511.06:565:58
611.16:545:59
711.16:526:01
811.26:506:02
911.26:486:03
1011.36:476:05
1111.46:456:06
1211.46:436:07
1311.56:416:08
1411.56:396:10
1511.66:376:11
1611.66:366:12
1711.76:346:14
1811.76:326:15
1911.86:306:16
2011.86:286:18
2111.96:266:19
2211.96:246:20
2312.06:226:21
2412.06:206:23
2512.16:186:24
2612.16:166:25
2712.26:156:27
2812.36:136:28
2912.36:116:29
3012.46:096:30
3112.46:076:32

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.71 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.23 kWh/m² to a high of 5.49 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 3.71 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.0Moderate
23.1Moderate
33.1Moderate
43.2Moderate
53.2Moderate
63.3Moderate
73.3Moderate
83.4Moderate
93.4Moderate
103.5Moderate
113.5Moderate
123.5Moderate
133.6Moderate
143.7Moderate
153.7Moderate
163.8Moderate
173.8Moderate
183.9Moderate
193.9Moderate
203.9Moderate
214.0Moderate
224.0Moderate
234.0Bright
244.0Bright
254.0Bright
264.1Bright
274.1Bright
284.1Bright
294.1Bright
304.1Bright
314.1Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Dartmouth

In seasonPeak

None of Dartmouth's seasonal hazards are active in March. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Dartmouth sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Atlantic hurricane
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Dartmouth?

Our two travel scores rate March for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Dartmouth.

What to pack for Dartmouth in March

From March's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In March, Dartmouth sees daytime highs around 3°C and nights near -5°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Dartmouth in March

The nearest coast averages about 1°C in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 17 km away) is warmest in August at about 17°C and coldest in March near 1°C.

The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

0°10°20°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshing
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan3Bracing
Feb1Bracing
Mar1Bracing
Apr2Bracing
May5Bracing
Jun10Bracing
Jul14Bracing
Aug17Cool
Sep16Cool
Oct13Bracing
Nov9Bracing
Dec6Bracing

UV index in Dartmouth in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 3 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Dartmouth peaks around June 21 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 21UV 8Dec 22UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep5Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Dartmouth?

Dartmouth sits at 44.7°N, 63.6°W, 35 m above sea level, in Canada. The nearest listed city is Downtown Halifax, 3.0 km away.

Topography around Dartmouth

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Dartmouth.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Dartmouth has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 m around an average of 35 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 189 m; within 80 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 326 m.

The land around Dartmouth is covered by artificial surfaces (42%), trees (28%) and water (23%) within 3 km, trees (62%) and water (22%) within 16 km, and trees (54%) and water (40%) within 80 km.

3 km
89 m
16 km
189 m
80 km
326 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: Downtown Halifax 3.0 km · Halifax 3.0 km · Woodlawn 4.0 km · Halifax West End 4.0 km · Halifax South End 5.0 km · Armdale 6.0 km · Clayton Park West 7.0 km · Cole Harbour 8.0 km

Canada travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 83% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$55,698
2025
Happiness
6.7 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
97%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
5.3
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Christian 53%none 35%Muslim 5%Hindu 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Dartmouth (44.6713°, -63.5772°, elevation 35 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).