Ames weather in March

In March, Ames sees average daytime highs of 47°F and overnight lows near 28°F, with 2.5 in of precipitation across 8.9 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 8th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 39°F in the first days to 53°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 54 min at the start of March to 12 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Ames's 7th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ames's year-round climate.

Daytime high
47°
8th warmest
Overnight low
28°
4th coldest
Precipitation
2.5 in
8.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:35 AM – 6:14 PM
Cloud cover
62%
7th clearest
Wind
10 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.18 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.5
out of 10

Ames is city in Story County, Iowa, United States.

Density
1,035/km²
people per km²
Founded
1864

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 39°F in the first days to 53°F by the end.

A typical March day in Ames reaches about 47°F in the afternoon and slips back to 28°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 31°F and 64°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 14°F warmer than February and about 14°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13821
23821
33921
44022
54022
64123
74123
84224
94324
104325
114426
124526
134527
144627
154728
164728
174829
184829
194930
204930
215031
225031
235132
245132
255233
265233
275333
285333
295334
305434
315434

How March really feels in Ames

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 31 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
31
8 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Ames weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 13°1.264.89.30.0
Feb33° / 16°1.46.54.710.30.0
Mar47° / 28°2.58.9311.71.5
Apr60° / 40°4.511.1113.14.6
May71° / 52°5.513.60.114.36.0
Jun80° / 62°5.111.80156.3
Jul83° / 65°3.89.6014.76.1
Aug81° / 62°4.09.2013.76.8
Sep74° / 54°3.68.5012.37.2
Oct62° / 42°2.980.510.95.5
Nov47° / 29°2.06.51.79.61.6
Dec33° / 18°1.664.590.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 30% 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 57%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24456
34456
44555
54456
64555
74555
84555
94555
104555
114456
124555
134555
144456
154456
164456
174357
184258
194159
204159
214159
224060
233961
243961
254060
264060
274060
284060
294060
304060
314159

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Ames gets around 2.5 in of rain and snow over 8.9 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 28% and peaks near 32% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12614
22614
32614
42613
52613
62613
72612
82612
92612
102611
112611
122711
132711
142711
152810
162810
172810
182810
192910
20299
21309
22308
23308
24317
25317
26316
27316
28325
29325
30324
31324

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 99% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15991
16991
17982
18982
19982
20982
21982
22982
23982
24982
25982
26982
27982
28982
29982
30982
31982

Wind in March

Winds average 10 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze
3110light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 54 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 90 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:00 AM to 6:08 AM, and sunset from 5:56 PM to 6:31 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.97:005:56
211.06:585:57
311.06:565:58
411.16:555:59
511.16:536:01
611.26:526:02
711.26:506:03
811.36:486:04
911.36:476:05
1011.46:456:07
1111.46:436:08
1211.56:426:09
1311.56:406:10
1411.66:386:11
1511.66:366:12
1611.66:356:14
1711.76:336:15
1811.76:316:16
1911.86:296:17
2011.86:286:18
2111.96:266:19
2211.96:246:21
2312.06:226:22
2412.06:216:23
2512.16:196:24
2612.16:176:25
2712.26:156:26
2812.26:146:27
2912.36:126:28
3012.36:106:30
3112.46:086:31

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.18 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.77 kWh/m² to a high of 6.46 kWh/m² in July across the year — March's 4.18 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.9Moderate
63.9Moderate
74.0Moderate
84.0Moderate
94.0Bright
104.1Bright
114.1Bright
124.1Bright
134.1Bright
144.2Bright
154.2Bright
164.2Bright
174.2Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.4Bright
244.4Bright
254.4Bright
264.5Bright
274.5Bright
284.5Bright
294.5Bright
304.6Bright
314.6Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Ames?

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

1.5
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ames.

What to pack for Ames in March

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

In March, Ames sees daytime highs around 47°F and nights near 28°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Ames in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ames peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Dec 21UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May7High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug7Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Ames 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 Ames is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (October, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateGoodModerateGoodJul 2016 µg/m³Oct 217 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan13Moderate
Feb15Moderate
Mar14Moderate
Apr11Good
May11Good
Jun12Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug14Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct7Good
Nov9Good
Dec10Good
Location & terrain

Where is Ames?

Ames sits at 42.0°N, 93.6°W, 942 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Ankeny, 21 mi away.

Topography around Ames

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Ames.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Ames has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 207 ft around an average of 932 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 325 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 568 ft.

The land around Ames is covered by trees (38%) and artificial surfaces (34%) within 2 miles, cropland (74%) within 10 miles, and cropland (78%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
207 ft
10 miles
325 ft
50 miles
568 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Ankeny 21 mi · Johnston 25 mi · Altoona 28 mi · Urbandale 29 mi · Des Moines 30 mi · Clive 30 mi · West Des Moines 32 mi · Waukee 32 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 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 Ames (42.0347°, -93.6199°, elevation 942 ft), 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).