Bellingham weather in March

In March, Bellingham sees average daytime highs of 49°F and overnight lows near 40°F, with 6.7 in of precipitation across 18.9 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 47°F in the first days to 50°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 42 min at the start of March to 12 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Bellingham's 9th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bellingham's year-round climate.

Daytime high
49°
8th warmest
Overnight low
40°
4th coldest
Precipitation
6.7 in
18.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:33 AM – 6:06 PM
Cloud cover
70%
9th clearest
Wind
7 mph
4th windiest
Solar energy
3.03 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.5
out of 10

Bellingham is city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the State of Washington, United States.

Density
1,084/km²
people per km²
Founded
1852

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 47°F in the first days to 50°F by the end.

A typical March day in Bellingham reaches about 49°F in the afternoon and slips back to 40°F overnight — a 9°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 43°F and 54°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 3°F warmer than February and about 4°F cooler than April.

30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14738
24738
34738
44738
54738
64739
74739
84839
94839
104839
114839
124839
134840
144940
154940
164940
174940
184940
194940
204940
214940
224940
234940
245040
255040
265041
275041
285041
295041
305041
315041

How March really feels in Bellingham

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

March sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Bellingham weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan44° / 38°8.418.63.28.50.6
Feb46° / 38°5.415.32.89.81.0
Mar49° / 40°6.718.91.911.61.5
Apr53° / 43°4.815.20.113.42.5
May57° / 48°3.411.30154.0
Jun61° / 53°2.59.4015.95.2
Jul66° / 57°1.35.1015.57.1
Aug67° / 58°1.85.3014.27.2
Sep64° / 54°3.29.1012.45.9
Oct56° / 48°6.414.7010.53.3
Nov48° / 41°9.518.81.191.4
Dec44° / 38°8.118.33.38.10.5

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 19% 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 68%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13565
23565
33367
43367
53268
63268
73268
83169
93169
103268
113268
123268
133268
143268
153268
163268
173169
183169
193169
203268
213268
223169
233268
243169
253169
263169
273169
283169
293169
303169
313070

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Bellingham gets around 6.7 in of rain and snow over 18.9 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 60% and peaks near 62% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
15711
25710
35810
4589
5599
6608
7608
8617
9617
10617
11627
12627
13627
14627
15627
16626
17626
18626
19626
20616
21616
22606
23605
24595
25595
26585
27574
28574
29574
30563
31563

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 7 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 6 mph on the calmest days to 7 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
16calm
26calm
36calm
46calm
56calm
67calm
77calm
87calm
97calm
107calm
117calm
127calm
137calm
147calm
157calm
167calm
177calm
187calm
197calm
206calm
216calm
226calm
236calm
246calm
256calm
266calm
276calm
286calm
296calm
306calm
316calm

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min at the start of March to 12 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 108 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:04 AM to 6:01 AM, and sunset from 5:43 PM to 6:29 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.77:045:43
210.77:025:44
310.87:005:46
410.86:585:47
510.96:565:49
610.96:545:51
711.06:525:52
811.16:505:54
911.16:485:55
1011.26:465:57
1111.36:435:59
1211.36:416:00
1311.46:396:02
1411.46:376:03
1511.56:356:05
1611.66:336:06
1711.66:316:08
1811.76:296:09
1911.76:276:11
2011.86:246:12
2111.96:226:14
2211.96:206:15
2312.06:186:17
2412.06:166:19
2512.16:146:20
2612.26:116:22
2712.26:096:23
2812.36:076:25
2912.46:056:26
3012.46:036:28
3112.56:016:29

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.03 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.84 kWh/m² to a high of 6.56 kWh/m² in July across the year — March's 3.03 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.5Moderate
22.5Moderate
32.5Moderate
42.5Moderate
52.6Moderate
62.6Moderate
72.6Moderate
82.7Moderate
92.7Moderate
102.7Moderate
112.8Moderate
122.8Moderate
132.9Moderate
142.9Moderate
153.0Moderate
163.0Moderate
173.1Moderate
183.1Moderate
193.2Moderate
203.2Moderate
213.3Moderate
223.3Moderate
233.4Moderate
243.5Moderate
253.5Moderate
263.6Moderate
273.6Moderate
283.7Moderate
293.7Moderate
303.8Moderate
313.8Moderate
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Bellingham

In seasonPeak

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

Bellingham's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

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

Is March a good time to visit Bellingham?

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

1.5
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Bellingham.

What to pack for Bellingham in March

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

In March, Bellingham sees daytime highs around 49°F and nights near 40°F. Pack a warm layer and rain gear. About 19 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

Sea temperature near Bellingham in March

The nearest coast averages about 46°F 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 19 mi away) is warmest in August at about 60°F and coldest in January near 45°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

45°50°55°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan45Bracing
Feb45Bracing
Mar46Bracing
Apr49Bracing
May53Bracing
Jun56Bracing
Jul59Cool
Aug60Cool
Sep57Bracing
Oct52Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec46Bracing

UV index in Bellingham 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 Bellingham peaks around July 17 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 17 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 highHighModerateLowJul 17UV 8Dec 17UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Bellingham 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 Bellingham is worst in September — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1018 µg/m³Dec 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Good
May12Good
Jun11Good
Jul11Good
Aug18Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bellingham?

Bellingham sits at 48.8°N, 122.5°W, 69 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Anacortes, 18 mi away.

Topography around Bellingham

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bellingham has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 666 ft around an average of 102 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,097 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,758 ft.

The land around Bellingham is covered by trees (39%), artificial surfaces (29%) and water (23%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and water (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (51%) and water (32%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
666 ft
10 miles
3,097 ft
50 miles
10,758 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewater
March weather nearby: Anacortes 18 mi · Townline 22 mi · White Rock 23 mi · Abbotsford 23 mi · South Surrey 24 mi · Mount Vernon 24 mi · Langley 25 mi · Cloverdale 27 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 Bellingham (48.7595°, -122.4882°, elevation 69 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. 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. 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).