Athens weather in March

In March, Athens sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 35°F, with 4.5 in of precipitation across 12.4 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 48°F in the first days to 58°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% 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 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Athens's 9th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Athens's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
9th warmest
Overnight low
35°
4th coldest
Precipitation
4.5 in
12.4 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:48 AM – 6:28 PM
Cloud cover
68%
9th clearest
Wind
7 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
3.88 kWh/m²
Travel score
2.8
out of 10

Athens is city in Athens County, Ohio, United States.

Density
963/km²
people per km²
Founded
1797

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 48°F in the first days to 58°F by the end.

A typical March day in Athens reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 35°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 38°F and 70°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 10°F warmer than February and about 12°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14731
24831
34831
44831
54931
64932
74932
85032
95033
105133
115133
125133
135234
145234
155335
165335
175335
185436
195436
205537
215537
225537
235638
245638
255738
265739
275839
285839
295840
305940
315940

How March really feels in Athens

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 22 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
22
wind chill below the day's low

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

Athens weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan40° / 26°3.610.94.39.50.0
Feb43° / 28°3.510.24.110.50.5
Mar53° / 35°4.512.42.211.72.8
Apr65° / 46°4.412.50.3135.4
May73° / 55°4.713.7014.16.1
Jun81° / 63°4.512.5014.75.9
Jul85° / 67°4.113.1014.55.0
Aug84° / 65°3.510.5013.55.6
Sep78° / 58°3.58.5012.37.0
Oct66° / 47°3.19.20.1116.1
Nov53° / 37°3.39.20.79.83.2
Dec44° / 30°3.610.42.59.30.7

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 23% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13367
23367
33367
43466
53466
63565
73565
83565
93565
103565
113664
123664
133664
143664
153565
163565
173565
183466
193367
203367
213367
223466
233367
243268
253367
263367
273466
283466
293565
303565
313565

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Athens gets around 4.5 in of rain and snow over 12.4 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 39% and peaks near 43% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13913
23913
33912
43812
53812
63812
73811
83811
93810
103810
11389
12388
13388
14387
15386
16386
17385
18385
19395
20394
21404
22404
23414
24413
25423
26423
27423
28423
29423
30433
31433

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 97% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19910
29910
39910
49910
59910
69910
79910
89910
99910
109910
119820
129820
139820
149820
159730
169730
179730
189730
199730
209640
219640
229640
239640
249640
259640
269640
279640
289640
299640
309640
319541

Wind in March

Winds average 7 mph in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 7 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
17calm
27calm
37calm
47calm
57calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
207calm
217calm
227calm
237calm
247calm
257calm
267calm
277calm
287calm
297calm
307calm
317calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 hours at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 78 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:11 AM to 6:23 AM, and sunset from 6:13 PM to 6:44 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.07:116:13
211.17:096:14
311.17:086:15
411.27:066:16
511.27:056:17
611.27:036:18
711.37:026:19
811.37:006:20
911.46:596:21
1011.46:576:22
1111.56:566:23
1211.56:546:24
1311.56:526:25
1411.66:516:26
1511.66:496:27
1611.76:486:28
1711.76:466:30
1811.86:446:31
1911.86:436:32
2011.96:416:33
2111.96:406:34
2211.96:386:35
2312.06:366:36
2412.06:356:37
2512.16:336:38
2612.16:316:39
2712.26:306:40
2812.26:286:41
2912.36:266:42
3012.36:256:43
3112.36:236:44

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.88 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.65 kWh/m² to a high of 6.13 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 3.88 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.3Moderate
23.4Moderate
33.4Moderate
43.5Moderate
53.5Moderate
63.6Moderate
73.6Moderate
83.6Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.7Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.8Moderate
143.9Moderate
153.9Moderate
163.9Moderate
174.0Moderate
184.0Moderate
194.0Bright
204.0Bright
214.1Bright
224.1Bright
234.1Bright
244.2Bright
254.2Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.3Bright
294.4Bright
304.4Bright
314.5Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Athens?

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

2.8
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Athens.

What to pack for Athens in March

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

In March, Athens sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 35°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Athens 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 Athens peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 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 highHighModerateJun 19UV 9Dec 23UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Athens 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 Athens is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 7 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1318 µg/m³Nov 237 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan9Good
Feb10Good
Mar10Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Athens?

Athens sits at 39.3°N, 82.1°W, 719 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Parkersburg, 29 mi away.

Topography around Athens

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Athens has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 430 ft around an average of 778 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 499 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 778 ft.

The land around Athens is covered by trees (70%) within 2 miles, trees (81%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
430 ft
10 miles
499 ft
50 miles
778 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Parkersburg 29 mi · Lancaster 37 mi · Zanesville 42 mi · Chillicothe 47 mi · Pickerington 52 mi · Newark 53 mi · Pataskala 55 mi · Reynoldsburg 57 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 Athens (39.3292°, -82.1013°, elevation 719 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).