Columbia weather in March

In March, Columbia sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 46°F, with 3.5 in of precipitation across 9.3 wet days and about 11.7 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 63°F in the first days to 70°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 12 min at the start of March to 12 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Columbia's 4th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Columbia's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
8th warmest
Overnight low
46°
5th coldest
Precipitation
3.5 in
9.3 wet days
Daylight
11 h 42 min
6:42 AM – 6:26 PM
Cloud cover
54%
4th clearest
Wind
7 mph
1st windiest
Solar energy
4.51 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Columbia is capital city of the U.S. state of South Carolina and seat of Richland County.

Density
416/km²
people per km²
Founded
1787

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 63°F in the first days to 70°F by the end.

A typical March day in Columbia reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 46°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 53°F and 79°F. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 7°F warmer than February and about 9°F cooler than April.

20°40°60°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16242
26342
36342
46343
56443
66443
76443
86443
96544
106544
116544
126544
136645
146645
156645
166646
176746
186746
196746
206747
216847
226847
236847
246948
256948
266948
277049
287049
297049
307149
317150

How March really feels in Columbia

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.

Columbia weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan56° / 37°3.59.10.6103.9
Feb59° / 40°3.48.30.410.74.7
Mar67° / 46°3.59.30.111.76.3
Apr75° / 54°3.38.1012.87.2
May82° / 62°3.09.4013.76.2
Jun88° / 70°4.313.5014.24.1
Jul90° / 73°4.415.30143.3
Aug89° / 72°4.213.4013.33.9
Sep84° / 66°3.78.8012.25.8
Oct75° / 55°3.37.1011.17.4
Nov65° / 45°2.87.2010.26.5
Dec58° / 39°3.78.80.19.84.5

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 38% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 14% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 48%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
15149
25248
35347
45347
55347
65446
75446
85446
95347
105347
115347
125347
135347
145248
155248
165248
175248
185248
195248
205248
215248
225149
235149
245149
255248
265248
275248
285248
295248
305248
315149

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Columbia gets around 3.5 in of rain and snow over 9.3 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 29% and peaks near 31% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
231
331
430
530
630
730
829
929
1029
1129
1228
1328
1428
1528
1628
1728
1828
1928
2028
2129
2229
2329
2430
2530
2630
2730
2830
2930
3030
3130

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 85% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
187103
287103
387103
487103
587103
686113
786113
886113
986113
1086113
1186122
1286122
1386122
1486122
1586122
1686122
1785123
1885123
1985123
2085123
2184124
2284124
2384124
2483125
2583125
2683125
2782126
2882126
2982126
3080137
3180137

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 h 12 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 66 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 7:01 AM to 6:21 AM, and sunset from 6:14 PM to 6:38 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.27:016:14
211.27:006:14
311.36:596:15
411.36:586:16
511.36:566:17
611.46:556:18
711.46:546:19
811.56:526:19
911.56:516:20
1011.56:506:21
1111.66:486:22
1211.66:476:23
1311.66:466:24
1411.76:446:24
1511.76:436:25
1611.76:426:26
1711.86:406:27
1811.86:396:27
1911.86:386:28
2011.96:366:29
2111.96:356:30
2212.06:336:31
2312.06:326:31
2412.06:316:32
2512.16:296:33
2612.16:286:34
2712.16:266:34
2812.26:256:35
2912.26:246:36
3012.26:226:37
3112.36:216:38

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 4.51 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.39 kWh/m² to a high of 6.16 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 4.51 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
13.9Moderate
24.0Moderate
34.0Bright
44.1Bright
54.2Bright
64.2Bright
74.3Bright
84.3Bright
94.3Bright
104.4Bright
114.4Bright
124.4Bright
134.5Bright
144.5Bright
154.5Bright
164.6Bright
174.6Bright
184.6Bright
194.6Bright
204.7Bright
214.7Bright
224.7Bright
234.8Bright
244.8Bright
254.8Bright
264.9Bright
274.9Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
305.1Bright
315.1Bright
Planning a trip in March

Is March a good time to visit Columbia?

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

6.3
Sightseeing
4th-best month of the year
2.9
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

March is a reasonable time to visit Columbia for sightseeing.

What to pack for Columbia in March

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

In March, Columbia sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 46°F. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

UV index in Columbia in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Columbia peaks around June 23 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 11 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highHighModerateJun 23UV 9Dec 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb5Moderate
Mar6High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug8Very high
Sep7Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov4Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Columbia 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 Columbia is worst in July — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.3× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

01020JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateModerateGoodJul 1617 µg/m³Dec 218 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan8Good
Feb10Good
Mar15Moderate
Apr12Good
May13Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul18Moderate
Aug16Moderate
Sep12Good
Oct8Good
Nov8Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Columbia?

Columbia sits at 34.0°N, 81.0°W, 292 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is West Columbia, 2.5 mi away.

Topography around Columbia

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

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Columbia has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 751 ft around an average of 240 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 932 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,175 ft.

The land around Columbia is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and trees (41%) within 2 miles, trees (68%) within 10 miles, and trees (77%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
751 ft
10 miles
932 ft
50 miles
1,175 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
March weather nearby: West Columbia 2.5 mi · Saint Andrews 5.0 mi · Seven Oaks 7.5 mi · Lexington 12 mi · Sumter 40 mi · Aiken 50 mi · North Augusta 63 mi · Rock Hill 64 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 Columbia (34.0007°, -81.0348°, elevation 292 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).