Dunhuang weather in March

In March, Dunhuang sees average daytime highs of 14°C and overnight lows near -1°C, with 2 mm of precipitation across 0.5 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 10°C in the first days to 18°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 hours at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Dunhuang's 10th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Dunhuang's year-round climate.

Daytime high
14°
8th warmest
Overnight low
-1°
5th coldest
Precipitation
2 mm
0.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
8:01 AM – 7:41 PM
Cloud cover
45%
10th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
4th windiest
Solar energy
5.38 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.0
out of 10

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 10°C in the first days to 18°C by the end.

A typical March day in Dunhuang reaches about 14°C in the afternoon and slips back to -1°C overnight — a 14°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 8°C and 19°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 8°C warmer than February and about 8°C cooler than April.

-10°10°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
110-4
210-4
310-4
410-3
511-3
611-3
711-3
811-2
912-2
1012-2
1112-2
1213-2
1313-1
1413-1
1513-1
1614-1
17140
18140
19150
20150
21151
22161
23161
24162
25172
26172
27172
28173
29183
30183
31183

How March really feels in Dunhuang

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
wind chill below the day's low

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

Dunhuang weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 7th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-1° / -12°10.10.39.50.0
Feb / -7°10.20.210.40.8
Mar14° / -1°20.50.511.75.0
Apr22° / 20.70.1138.2
May27° / 13°51014.27.7
Jun32° / 19°81.6014.85.1
Jul34° / 21°71.4014.63.9
Aug32° / 19°51013.64.9
Sep27° / 12°30.5012.38.1
Oct19° / 10.4010.97.7
Nov / -4°10.30.39.82.2
Dec / -10°10.40.79.20.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16040
26040
36040
46139
56139
66139
76139
86238
96139
106139
116139
126139
136139
146040
156040
166040
176040
186040
196040
206139
216139
226139
236238
246238
256238
266238
276337
286238
296238
306238
316238

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Dunhuang gets around 2 mm of rain and snow over 0.5 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 2% and peaks near 2% on the wettest days, and about 1 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
122
222
322
422
522
622
722
822
922
1022
1122
1221
1321
1411
1511
1611
1711
1811
1911
2011
2111
2211
2311
2411
2511
2611
2711
2821
2921
3021
3121

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 13 km/h in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
313light breeze
413light breeze
513light breeze
613light breeze
713light breeze
813light breeze
913light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours 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 84 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 8:24 AM to 7:36 AM, and sunset from 7:25 PM to 7:57 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.08:247:25
211.08:237:26
311.18:217:27
411.18:207:28
511.28:187:29
611.28:177:30
711.38:157:31
811.38:147:32
911.48:127:34
1011.48:117:35
1111.48:097:36
1211.58:077:37
1311.58:067:38
1411.68:047:39
1511.68:027:40
1611.78:017:41
1711.77:597:42
1811.87:577:43
1911.87:567:44
2011.97:547:45
2111.97:527:46
2211.97:517:47
2312.07:497:48
2412.07:477:50
2512.17:467:51
2612.17:447:52
2712.27:427:53
2812.27:417:54
2912.37:397:55
3012.37:377:56
3112.47:367:57

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 5.38 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.44 kWh/m² to a high of 7.48 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 5.38 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.7Bright
24.7Bright
34.8Bright
44.8Bright
54.8Bright
64.9Bright
74.9Bright
85.0Bright
95.0Bright
105.1Bright
115.1Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.4Bright
175.4Bright
185.5Bright
195.5Bright
205.6Bright
215.6Bright
225.7Bright
235.7Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.9Bright
275.9Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Intense
306.1Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Dunhuang

In seasonPeak

In March, Dunhuang sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Dunhuang sees dust haze year-round, heaviest in May.

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

Is March a good time to visit Dunhuang?

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

5.0
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
0.6
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Dunhuang for sightseeing.

What to pack for Dunhuang in March

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

In March, Dunhuang sees daytime highs around 14°C and nights near -1°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and sun protection.

a warm layersun protection

UV index in Dunhuang in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 5 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Dunhuang peaks around July 16 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 11 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 16UV 10Jan 11UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May7High
Jun10Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Dunhuang in March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where March falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Dunhuang is worst in March — around 276 µg/m³ PM2.5 (very unhealthy), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 125 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0306090120150180210240270JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecVery unhealthyUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyVery unhealthyUnhealthyMar 19268 µg/m³Dec 13129 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan179Very unhealthy
Feb180Very unhealthy
Mar276Very unhealthy
Apr222Very unhealthy
May218Very unhealthy
Jun139Unhealthy
Jul136Unhealthy
Aug169Very unhealthy
Sep133Unhealthy
Oct167Very unhealthy
Nov145Unhealthy
Dec125Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Dunhuang?

Dunhuang sits at 40.2°N, 94.7°E, 1,131 m above sea level, in China. The nearest listed city is Jiayuguan, 309 km away.

JiayuguanTurpanAltaiUrumqiBogdHovdBayanhongorUliastay

Topography around Dunhuang

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Dunhuang has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 31 m around an average of 1,129 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 582 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,435 m.

The land around Dunhuang is covered by cropland (54%) within 3 km, bare terrain (56%) and cropland (31%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (95%) within 80 km.

3 km
31 m
16 km
582 m
80 km
3,435 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
March weather nearby: Jiayuguan 309 km · Turpan 552 km · Altai 702 km · Urumqi 711 km · Bogd 792 km · Hovd 806 km · Bayanhongor 829 km · Uliastay 860 km

China travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 2
Exercise Increased Caution
Power plugs
Type A / I
220 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 47% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$13,862
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.5
per 100k, 2020
Road deaths
17.4
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
Upper middle
World Bank
English
Low
EF EPI 464
Religion
unaffiliated 52%folk religion 22%Buddhist 18%Christian 5%

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 Dunhuang (40.1667°, 94.6833°, elevation 1,131 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).