Cape May weather in March

In March, Cape May sees average daytime highs of 47°F and overnight lows near 39°F, with 4.4 in of precipitation across 10.6 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 44°F in the first days to 50°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 Cape May's 10th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Cape May's year-round climate.

Daytime high
47°
9th warmest
Overnight low
39°
4th coldest
Precipitation
4.4 in
10.6 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:19 AM – 6:00 PM
Cloud cover
59%
10th clearest
Wind
13 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
4.29 kWh/m²
Travel score
1.5
out of 10

Cape May is city in New Jersey, United States.

Density
495/km²
people per km²
Founded
1611

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 44°F in the first days to 50°F by the end.

A typical March day in Cape May reaches about 47°F in the afternoon and slips back to 39°F overnight — a 8°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 39°F and 56°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 5°F warmer than February and about 9°F cooler than April.

20°30°40°50°60°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14436
24436
34436
44436
54537
64537
74537
84537
94537
104638
114638
124638
134638
144639
154739
164739
174739
184740
194740
204840
214840
224841
234941
244941
254942
264942
275042
285042
295043
305143
315143

How March really feels in Cape May

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 18 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
18
wind chill below the day's low

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

Cape May weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan41° / 33°3.69.939.60.1
Feb42° / 34°3.69.32.510.50.2
Mar47° / 39°4.410.61.511.71.5
Apr56° / 48°3.59.90.2133.8
May64° / 57°3.59.7014.15.8
Jun73° / 67°3.09014.76.9
Jul79° / 73°3.39.3014.46.9
Aug78° / 73°3.79.2013.57.0
Sep73° / 68°3.88.6012.37.2
Oct64° / 58°4.78.50116.1
Nov54° / 47°3.58.40.19.93.5
Dec46° / 39°4.39.619.31.4

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% 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 52%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14852
24852
34852
44852
54852
64951
74852
84852
94753
104753
114753
124753
134852
144852
154852
164753
174852
184852
194753
204753
214753
224753
234753
244753
254753
264753
274852
284951
294951
304951
314951

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Cape May gets around 4.4 in of rain and snow over 10.6 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 34% and peaks near 36% on the wettest days, and about 2 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1369
2369
3369
4358
5358
6357
7347
8346
9346
10335
11335
12335
13334
14334
15334
16334
17334
18334
19333
20333
21333
22343
23343
24343
25353
26353
27353
28362
29362
30362
31362

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
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
16991
17991
18991
19991
20991
21991
22991
23991
24991
25991
26991
27991
28991
29991
30991
31991

Wind in March

Winds average 13 mph in March.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 13 mph on the calmest days to 13 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
113breezy
213breezy
313breezy
413breezy
513breezy
613breezy
713breezy
813breezy
913breezy
1013breezy
1113breezy
1213breezy
1313breezy
1413breezy
1513breezy
1613breezy
1713breezy
1813breezy
1913breezy
2013breezy
2113breezy
2213breezy
2313breezy
2413breezy
2513breezy
2613breezy
2713breezy
2813breezy
2913breezy
3013breezy
3113breezy

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 6:41 AM to 5:55 AM, and sunset from 5:44 PM to 6:15 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.06:415:44
211.16:405:45
311.16:395:46
411.26:375:47
511.26:365:49
611.36:345:50
711.36:335:51
811.36:315:52
911.46:305:53
1011.46:285:54
1111.56:275:55
1211.56:255:56
1311.66:235:57
1411.66:225:58
1511.66:205:59
1611.76:196:00
1711.76:176:01
1811.86:166:02
1911.86:146:03
2011.96:126:04
2111.96:116:05
2211.96:096:06
2312.06:076:07
2412.06:066:08
2512.16:046:09
2612.16:036:10
2712.26:016:11
2812.25:596:12
2912.25:586:13
3012.35:566:14
3112.35:556:15

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.29 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.98 kWh/m² to a high of 6.56 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.29 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

024151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.8Moderate
23.8Moderate
33.8Moderate
43.9Moderate
53.9Moderate
64.0Moderate
74.0Bright
84.1Bright
94.1Bright
104.2Bright
114.2Bright
124.2Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.4Bright
174.4Bright
184.4Bright
194.4Bright
204.5Bright
214.5Bright
224.5Bright
234.5Bright
244.6Bright
254.6Bright
264.6Bright
274.7Bright
284.7Bright
294.8Bright
304.8Bright
314.8Bright
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Cape May

In seasonPeak

None of Cape May's seasonal hazards are active in March. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Cape May sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

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

Is March a good time to visit Cape May?

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 Cape May.

What to pack for Cape May in March

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

In March, Cape May sees daytime highs around 47°F and nights near 39°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: rain gear and a windbreaker. About 11 days see rain.

a warm layerrain geara windbreaker

Sea temperature near Cape May in March

The nearest coast averages about 41°F in March — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 75°F and coldest in February near 39°F.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 21 to Oct 4 — about 3.5 months when the water holds above 68°F.

30°40°50°60°70°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan41Bracing
Feb39Bracing
Mar41Bracing
Apr48Bracing
May57Bracing
Jun67Cool
Jul74Refreshing
Aug75Refreshing
Sep73Refreshing
Oct65Cool
Nov56Bracing
Dec47Bracing

UV index in Cape May 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 Cape May peaks around July 11 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 19 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 highHighModerateLowJul 11UV 9Dec 19UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Cape May 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 Cape May is worst in July — around 16 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (November, 6 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1216 µg/m³Nov 157 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar12Good
Apr13Moderate
May13Moderate
Jun15Moderate
Jul16Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep10Good
Oct7Good
Nov6Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Cape May?

Cape May sits at 38.9°N, 74.9°W, 0 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Millville, 33 mi away.

Topography around Cape May

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Cape May has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 59 ft around an average of 3 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 89 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 210 ft.

The land around Cape May is covered by water (57%) within 2 miles, water (81%) within 10 miles, and water (44%) and trees (31%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
59 ft
10 miles
89 ft
50 miles
210 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwaterwetland
March weather nearby: Millville 33 mi · South Vineland 36 mi · Dover 37 mi · Pleasantville 37 mi · Bridgeton 39 mi · Vineland 39 mi · Atlantic City 39 mi · Williamstown 52 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 Cape May (38.9351°, -74.906°, elevation 0 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).