Butte weather in March

In March, Butte sees average daytime highs of 38°F and overnight lows near 17°F, with 1.4 in of precipitation across 9.8 wet days and about 11.6 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 33°F in the first days to 40°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% 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 Butte's 11th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Butte's year-round climate.

Daytime high
38°
8th warmest
Overnight low
17°
5th coldest
Precipitation
1.4 in
9.8 wet days
Daylight
11 h 36 min
6:52 AM – 6:28 PM
Cloud cover
68%
11th clearest
Wind
5 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
4.5 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Butte is consolidated city-county (with Silver Bow County) in Montana, United States.

Density
18/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 33°F in the first days to 40°F by the end.

A typical March day in Butte reaches about 38°F in the afternoon and slips back to 17°F overnight — a 20°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 27°F and 48°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 7°F warmer than February and about 8°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13212
23313
33313
43414
53414
63515
73515
83615
93616
103616
113717
123717
133717
143818
153818
163818
173818
183919
193919
203919
213919
223919
234019
244019
254019
264019
274019
284020
294020
304120
314120

How March really feels in Butte

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
31 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

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

Butte weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 0.96.98.18.90.0
Feb30° / 11°0.96.98.1100.0
Mar38° / 17°1.49.89.411.60.0
Apr45° / 24°2.211.7913.31.0
May56° / 33°3.114.84.214.73.2
Jun65° / 40°3.313.81.315.55.3
Jul76° / 46°1.58.60.115.27.3
Aug76° / 45°1.170.1147.7
Sep65° / 38°1.46.6112.36.3
Oct49° / 28°1.38.24.510.72.3
Nov35° / 16°1.27.67.39.20.0
Dec26° / 1.07.48.68.50.0

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 16% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 68%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23466
33367
43367
53367
63367
73268
83268
93268
103169
113169
123169
133169
143268
153268
163367
173367
183268
193367
203367
213367
223268
233268
243169
253070
263070
273070
283070
293070
302872
312872

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Butte gets around 1.4 in of rain and snow over 9.8 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 31% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days, and about 9 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12830
22830
32729
42729
52728
62728
72728
82828
92828
102928
112928
122928
132928
143028
153028
163128
173129
183229
193330
203330
213431
223532
233532
243532
253533
263533
273633
283634
293634
303734
313735

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 5 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

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 7:20 AM to 6:22 AM, and sunset from 6:07 PM to 6:48 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.87:206:07
210.87:186:08
310.97:176:09
410.97:156:11
511.07:136:12
611.07:116:14
711.17:096:15
811.27:076:17
911.27:056:18
1011.37:036:19
1111.37:026:21
1211.47:006:22
1311.46:586:24
1411.56:566:25
1511.56:546:26
1611.66:526:28
1711.76:506:29
1811.76:486:30
1911.86:466:32
2011.86:446:33
2111.96:426:35
2211.96:406:36
2312.06:386:37
2412.06:366:39
2512.16:346:40
2612.26:326:41
2712.26:306:43
2812.36:286:44
2912.36:266:45
3012.46:246:47
3112.46:226:48

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.5 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.6 kWh/m² to a high of 7.42 kWh/m² in July across the year — March's 4.5 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.7Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.9Moderate
64.0Moderate
74.0Bright
84.1Bright
94.2Bright
104.2Bright
114.3Bright
124.3Bright
134.3Bright
144.4Bright
154.5Bright
164.5Bright
174.5Bright
184.6Bright
194.7Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.8Bright
234.8Bright
244.9Bright
254.9Bright
265.0Bright
275.0Bright
285.0Bright
295.1Bright
305.1Bright
315.2Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Butte?

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

0.0
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 Butte.

What to pack for Butte in March

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

In March, Butte sees daytime highs around 38°F and nights near 17°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gearsun protection

UV index in Butte 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 Butte peaks around July 14 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 21 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 14UV 9Dec 21UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May7Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug7High
Sep5High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Butte 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 Butte is worst in September — around 30 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 4.8× the cleanest month (January, 6 µg/m³).

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

010203040JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1329 µg/m³Jan 196 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan6Good
Feb7Good
Mar10Good
Apr10Good
May10Good
Jun9Good
Jul16Moderate
Aug21Moderate
Sep30Moderate
Oct9Good
Nov7Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Butte?

Butte sits at 46.0°N, 112.5°W, 5,538 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Helena, 47 mi away.

Topography around Butte

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Butte has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,060 ft around an average of 5,617 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,494 ft; within 50 miles, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 7,228 ft.

The land around Butte is covered by artificial surfaces (40%) and grassland (36%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and grassland (43%) within 10 miles, and trees (48%) and grassland (46%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
1,060 ft
10 miles
3,494 ft
50 miles
7,228 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermoss and lichen
March weather nearby: Helena 47 mi · Bozeman 75 mi · Missoula 92 mi · Great Falls 119 mi · Rexburg 155 mi · Kalispell 173 mi · Idaho Falls 177 mi · Whitefish 186 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 Butte (46.0038°, -112.5347°, elevation 5,538 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).