Charleston weather in March

In March, Charleston sees average daytime highs of 55°F and overnight lows near 37°F, with 4.7 in of precipitation across 13.5 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 9th-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 51°F in the first days to 60°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 h 06 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Charleston's 9th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Charleston's year-round climate.

Daytime high
55°
9th warmest
Overnight low
37°
4th coldest
Precipitation
4.7 in
13.5 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:45 AM – 6:27 PM
Cloud cover
67%
9th clearest
Wind
7 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
3.89 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.3
out of 10

Charleston is capital city of the U.S. state of West Virginia and seat of Kanawha County.

Density
554/km²
people per km²
Founded
1786

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 51°F in the first days to 60°F by the end.

A typical March day in Charleston reaches about 55°F in the afternoon and slips back to 37°F overnight — a 18°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 40°F and 72°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 9°F warmer than February and about 11°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
15033
25133
35133
45134
55234
65234
75234
85335
95335
105335
115435
125436
135436
145536
155537
165537
175637
185638
195638
205738
215739
225739
235840
245840
255940
265941
276041
286041
296042
306142
316142

How March really feels in Charleston

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 17 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
17
wind chill below the day's low

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

Charleston weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 9th-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan43° / 28°4.012.14.89.60.5
Feb46° / 30°3.811.94.310.51.2
Mar55° / 37°4.713.52.811.73.3
Apr67° / 47°4.313.10.5135.5
May73° / 56°5.014.6014.16.0
Jun81° / 64°4.914.2014.65.8
Jul83° / 67°5.014.2014.45.2
Aug82° / 66°3.911.5013.56.0
Sep77° / 59°3.89.4012.36.9
Oct67° / 48°3.49.50.1116.3
Nov56° / 38°3.49.919.93.7
Dec47° / 32°4.11239.41.3

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 13% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 64%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
13466
23565
33664
43664
53763
63763
73763
83664
93763
103862
113763
123763
133664
143664
153565
163565
173664
183565
193664
203565
213565
223565
233565
243565
253565
263565
273565
283565
293763
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitationSnow

Charleston gets around 4.7 in of rain and snow over 13.5 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 43% and peaks near 46% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14414
24314
34314
44314
54313
64313
74213
84212
94212
104211
114210
124210
13429
14429
15428
16428
17427
18427
19427
20426
21436
22436
23446
24445
25455
26455
27455
28465
29465
30465
31465

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 98% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
1991
2991
3991
4991
5991
6991
7991
8991
9991
10991
11991
12991
13991
14991
15982
16982
17982
18982
19982
20973
21973
22973
23973
24973
25973
26973
27973
28964
29964
30964
31955

Wind in March

Winds average 7 mph in March.

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 h 06 min 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 72 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:08 AM to 6:22 AM, and sunset from 6:12 PM to 6:41 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.17:086:12
211.17:066:13
311.17:056:14
411.27:046:15
511.27:026:16
611.37:016:17
711.36:596:18
811.46:586:19
911.46:566:20
1011.46:556:21
1111.56:536:22
1211.56:526:23
1311.66:506:24
1411.66:496:25
1511.66:476:26
1611.76:456:27
1711.76:446:28
1811.86:426:29
1911.86:416:30
2011.96:396:31
2111.96:386:32
2211.96:366:33
2312.06:346:34
2412.06:336:35
2512.16:316:36
2612.16:306:37
2712.26:286:38
2812.26:266:39
2912.26:256:39
3012.36:236:40
3112.36:226:41

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 3.89 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.76 kWh/m² to a high of 6.09 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 3.89 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
83.7Moderate
93.7Moderate
103.8Moderate
113.8Moderate
123.8Moderate
133.9Moderate
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 Charleston?

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

3.3
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.1
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Charleston.

What to pack for Charleston in March

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

In March, Charleston sees daytime highs around 55°F and nights near 37°F. Worth packing: a warm layer and rain gear. About 14 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gear

UV index in Charleston 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 Charleston peaks around June 20 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 20UV 9Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Moderate
Feb3Moderate
Mar5High
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Charleston 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 Charleston is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.8× the cleanest month (December, 7 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodJul 1418 µg/m³Dec 147 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb9Good
Mar9Good
Apr11Good
May14Moderate
Jun17Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug15Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct7Good
Nov7Good
Dec7Good
Location & terrain

Where is Charleston?

Charleston sits at 38.3°N, 81.6°W, 597 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Huntington, 44 mi away.

Topography around Charleston

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Charleston has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 623 ft around an average of 814 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,148 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,002 ft.

The land around Charleston is covered by trees (63%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 2 miles, trees (89%) within 10 miles, and trees (93%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
623 ft
10 miles
1,148 ft
50 miles
3,002 ft
treesgrasslandartificial surfaceswater
March weather nearby: Huntington 44 mi · Beckley 47 mi · Ashland 55 mi · Meads 58 mi · Parkersburg 63 mi · Athens 72 mi · Portsmouth 78 mi · Clarksburg 94 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 Charleston (38.3498°, -81.6326°, elevation 597 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).